Press release: Audiovisual Media Services Directive: Commission requests 12 Member States to implement in full

The European Commission requested on 24 June 2010 12 Member States (Austria, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, and Slovenia) to urgently update their national broadcasting rules in order to comply with their obligations under the Audiovisual Media Service (AVMS) Directive. The AVMS Directive updates EU rules on broadcasting to face the challenges of the digital age and creates rules on the use of services like TV over the internet, video on demand and mobile TV to ensure better legal protection for European TV viewers. Member States should have implemented the Directive by amending their national laws by the end of 2009. To date, the 12 Member States have either not implemented all the rules or have not yet officially informed the Commission that the rules are in place, as required. Therefore the Commission has decided to send reasoned opinions to these Member States. If they fail to inform the Commission of measures to implement the Directive in full within two months, the Commission may refer them to the EU's Court of Justice.