Audiovisual Media Services Directive reform: Document pool
On 25 May 2016, the European Commission proposed to reform the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (the “AVMS Directive” or “AVMSD”). The current AVMS Directive (2010) is the European Union (EU) legal framework that regulates traditional TV broadcasters and on-demand services in the EU Member States. The AVMSD contains rules on audiovisual advertising; jurisdiction over providers; promotion of European works; and on providers’ obligations with regards to commercial communications, protection of minors from potentially harmful content, fight against “incitement to hatred”, among other measures. The new proposal broadens the scope of the Directive to cover the regulation of video-sharing platforms and potentially even other social media companies.
European Digital Rights (EDRi)’s main concern is the lack of clarity and safeguards for respecting the rule of law and protecting fundamental rights. The AVMSD fails to clearly draw the line between different concepts and different services. A lack of clarity affects competition, freedom of expression and opinion, the fight against illegal material online and the protection of children online.
EDRi’s analysis and recommendations
Legislative documents
EDRi’s blogposts and press releases
EDRi is working with the EU institutions throughout the different stages of the legislative process. In this document pool, you will find the relevant information, documents, and analyses on the AVMSD. We’ll be updating this document pool as the process advances. Last update: 20 September 2017.
EDRi’s analysis and recommendations
- EDRi position on AVMSD trilogue negotiations (14.09.2017)
- EDRi’s analysis of the CULT compromise amendment on Article 28a (13.04.2017)
- EDRi’s analysis of the AVMSD and Article 52 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights (04.04.2017)
- EDRi’s second position paper (09.02.2017)
- Joint letter raising concerns about filtering in AVMSD proposals in CULT (31.01.2017)
- EDRi position paper (13.07.2016)
- EDRi’s amendment proposals (13.07.2016)
- EDRi’s response to the Public consultation on the AVMS Directive 2010/13/EU (30.09.2015)
- EDRi’s response to the Public consultation on the Green Paper “Preparing for a Fully Converged Audiovisual World: Growth, Creation and Values” (15.10.2013)
Legislative documents
- The current Audiovisual Media Services Directive (10.03.2010)
- European Commission’s reform proposal (25.05.2016)
- European Parliament’s position:
- European Parliamentary Research Service’s briefing on the AVMS Directive (November 2015)
- Lead Committee: CULT’s report (10.05.2017)
- Committee Opinions:
- IMCO’s opinion (19.12.2016)
- JURI’s opinion (16.01.2017)
- ENVI’s opinion (01.02.2017)
- LIBE’s opinion (03.02.2017)
- Council (Member States)’s position:
- Examination of articles (19.10.2016) – not published
- Annotated version (04.11.2016) – not published
- Progress Report (04.11.2016)
- Progress Report (15.11.2016)
- Presidency compromise text (19.12.2016) – not published
- Council Presidency Compromise Proposals on definitions, hate speech and terrorism, accessibility and protection of minors (24.02.2017)
- Revised Presidency Compromise text (17.03.2017)
- Presidency compromise text on audiovisual commercial communications (24.03.2017)
- Revised Presidency compromise text (07.04.2017) – not published
- Guidance on Future Work (24.04.2017)
- Further examination of a revised Presidency text (28.04.2017) – not published
- Proposal for a General approach (05.05.2017)
- Reviewed proposal for a General approach (16.05.2017)
- General approach adopted (23.05.2017)
- Revised Presidency Recitals (17.07.2017)
- Mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament (25.10.2017)
- Mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament (17.11.2017) – not published
- Addendum to the Mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament (17.11.2017)
- European Economic and Social Committee’s opinion (19.10.2016)
- European Committee of the Regions’ opinion (07.12.2016)
Find more information and documents in PRELEX (the EU Database on preparatory acts), OEIL (the European Parliament’s Legislative Observatory), Council’s document register, IPEX (the Interparliamentary Exchange Platform) and Statewatch news.
EDRi’s blogposts and press releases
- Should video-sharing platforms be part of the AVMSD? (20.09.2017)
- ENDitorial: AVMSD – the “legislation without friends” Directive? (14.06.2017)
- AVMSD: European Parliament set to vote whether it’s allowed to vote (17.05.2017)
- AVMS Directive: It isn’t censorship if the content is mostly legal, right? (27.04.2017)
- European Parliament Culture Committee takes strong position against upload filtering (25.04.2017)
- AVMS Directive – censorship by coercive comedy confusion (19.04.2017)
- Audiovisual Media Services Directive – is it good enough to be a law? (08.04.2017)