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Spain is one of the few countries within the European Union and the Council of Europe in which the main authority for the audiovisual sector is not an independent regulatory body. There is a regulatory authority in Catalonia (Consell de l'Audiovisual de Catalunya) and in Navarra (Consejo Audiovisual de Navarra) (see IRIS 2001-9: 10) and, at the national level, there is an independent authority, the Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones (Telecommunications Market Commission), which has some powers concerning the audiovisual sector. However, at the national level, the authority that has...

In October 2001, the Tribunal Supremo (Supreme Court) dismissed an appeal against some provisions of Decree 1462/1999, which implements Act 25/1994 on the incorporation into Spanish Law of the EC "Television without Frontiers" Directive. Decree 1462/1999, which only applies to national broadcasters, deals, inter alia, with the right of television users to receive accurate information on the programme planning of television channels (see IRIS 1999-10: 10). The Decree establishes that a broadcaster shall release its programme planning at least eleven days before broadcast. Broadcasters are required...

In July 2001, the Parliament of the Autonomous Community of Navarra approved a new Act on the provision of audiovisual services in Navarra and on the creation of the Consejo Audiovisual de Navarra (the Audiovisual Council of Navarra - CAN). This Act implements some provisions of the national Act 25/1994 (as amended by Act 22/1999), which incorporates the "Television Without Frontiers" Directive into Spanish Law. The new Act of Navarra obliges broadcasters under its jurisdiction to comply with quotas for Navarran programmes. It also regulates advertising, sponsorship and the protection of minors,...

On 26 July 2001, the Plenary Meeting of the Consejo para las Emisiones y Retransmisiones Deportivas (the Committee for the Broadcasting of Sports Events) approved the Catalogue of Listed Sports Events for the 2001/2002 season. The Catalogue indicates which events in each of the sports concerned must be broadcast on free-to-air TV (provided a free-to-air broadcaster wishes to broadcast them). The listed events are as follows: 1) Football i) Spanish Cup: semi-finals (one match in each leg) and the final; ii) Spanish Super Cup; iii) Champions League: one game on each match day with national participation...

In Spain there is considerable legal uncertainty as regards cable services. Lately, the Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones (Commission for the Telecommunications Market - CMT) has been involved in a controversy concerning the licensing regime in this field. Cable services were regulated in 1995 by the Cable Telecommunications Act. It divided the country into local or regional geographic areas and in each area, up to two concessionaires were authorised to provide cable services (cable TV, Internet access and voice communications). One concession was reserved for Telefónica Cable (a...