AUDIOVISUAL POLICY : GREEN LIGHT FOR FINANCING OF DUTCH PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTERS.

The European Commission authorised, under EU state aid rules, the annual financing regime for the Dutch public service broadcasters, in light of amendments made by the Dutch authorities.

Following complaints from several commercial broadcasters and other media undertakings, the Commission had opened a preliminary investigation in 2005. It had, in fact, verified whether this financing scheme respected the fundamental principles in terms of clarity, transparency and market behaviour. It had underlined that the public service remit was not clearly defined, and had requested the Netherlands to establish accounting separation for public service activities and other activities. The Commission had recalled that this member state must ensure that the commercial activities of public service broadcasters respect the principles...