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On 28 May the CSA delivered its opinion on the draft electronic communications bill (see IRIS 2003-5: 15 and IRIS 2003-6: 9), the purpose of which is to transpose the "telecoms package" into French law. The opinion is in eight sections which, on the whole, follow the order of the text, and cover the amendments made to the Post and Telecommunications Code, the scope of the CSA, authorisations for terrestrially broadcast television, the status of TDF (Télédiffusion de France), radio and television services other than those broadcast terrestrially, service distributors, measures to combat concentration,...

Each year the question of the audio-visual licence fee comes up for public debate. Although the Government at one time was considering abolishing this indirect tax which, together with advertising, constitutes the main source of income for the public audio-visual sector, it is currently looking into ways of improving its yield so as to increase the two billion euros it produces. The financial requirements of the public audio-visual sector in 2004 could in fact require an increase in the 3% allocation. The MP Patrice Martin-Lalande has been entrusted with a "mission of evaluation and control" (MEC)...

The Minister for Culture and Communication did not wait until the International Film Festival in Cannes before presenting to the Cabinet on 30 April a communication on policy beneficial to the cinema. In a follow up to the Leclerc Report (see IRIS 2003-3: 14), the Minister announced a number of measures intended to "diversify and perpetuate sources of financing for the cinema and contribute to increasing the number of works being filmed in France". For this, the video sector and also the regional authorities will take over the financing of cinematographic production arising out of television....

The "Television without Frontiers" Directive is currently under re-examination and, in accordance with its Article 26, the Commission has embarked on three assessment studies on the text and is now commencing public consultation intended to examine "application of the Directive and, if appropriate, to draw up new proposals with a view to its adaptation to developments in the field of television broadcasting, particularly in the light of recent technological developments". The consultation covers the main sensitive areas of the Directive ­ promotion of European works, advertising, protection of...

The Government, which wished to add two points to the preliminary bill on electronic communications (see IRIS 2003-5: 15) ­ extension of the powers of the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (audio-visual regulatory body ­ CSA) in terms of the economic regulation of the audio-visual sector and support for the development of local television stations ­ revealed on 14 May 2003 the additional provisions on these points. Firstly, the CSA would be given the power to settle disputes between editors and distributors of services. Previously, the CSA only had such power in matters concerning the distribution...