Search results : 92

On 26 November 2018, the EU Commission initiated proceedings for infringement of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union against 17 member states for non-compliance with the Directive requiring the transposition into national law of the Marrakesh Treaty (Directive (EU) 2017/1564) (see IRIS 2017-9/4 and IRIS 2016-9/4). The Marrakesh Treaty is a WIPO-administered convention that was signed on 27 June 2013 and entered into force on 30 September 2016, after the first 20 ratifications. The Treaty facilitates access to print works in formats adapted for persons who are blind, visually...

On 20 June 2018, new amendments to the Latvian Electronic Mass Media Law (EMML) which provide inter alia that public service broadcasters leave the advertising market, as well as other important amendments, were decided. As several of the amendments introduce significant new concepts and rules, there are relevant transition terms provided in the amendments and different dates for full implementation. The decision requiring public service broadcasters to leave the commercial advertising market will come into force in 2021, subject to the right to receive additional public funding from the state...

On 8 November 2016, the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers approved Basic Principles of the Latvian Media Policy (the Principles), a new policy document providing the general targets and tasks for media policy within the years 2016 to 2020. The Ministry of Culture will have to prepare an interim assessment of the fulfilment of the Principles by 1 July 2018 and submit it to the Cabinet of Ministers. The Principles are a policy-planning document, which sets the basic principles of Latvian media policy, its targets, priorities and tasks to be accomplished within this period. Various public institutions,...

On 7 April 2016, the Nacionālā elektronisko plašsaziņas līdzekļu padome (National Electronic Mass Media Council), the national regulatory authority (the Council) adopted a decision to suspend the retransmission of the TV channel Rossija RTR for a period of 6 months. The suspension duty applies to all retransmission operators; to cable and satellite operators, as well as to Internet television providers. The decision is based on Section 19, part 5, paragraph 1 of the Latvian Electronic Mass Media Law (EMML), which provides that the Council generally ensures the freedom of retransmission of broadcasts...

On 19 January 2016, new amendments to the Latvian Electronic Mass Media Law (EMML) came into force. The amendments have been adopted by Saeima (the Latvian Parliament) on 17 December 2015. The amendments are substantial, as they introduce new concepts in the EMML, supplement the list of must-carry provisions, and supplement the conditions on which the Latvian regulatory authorities may suspend broadcasts and on-demand services from other countries, including European Union countries. Among the newly introduced concepts the most important is the “service of the distribution of television programmes”,...