The European Parliament, on the 29th November 2007, formally approved without amendments the Council's common position on the new Audiovisual Media Services without frontiers Directive. The Directive modernises the rules for Europe's audiovisual industry and offers a comprehensive legal framework that covers all audiovisual media services – including on-demand services. Less detailed, more flexible and future-oriented rules on TV advertising will allow audiovisual content to be better financed. Member States now have two years to make the Directive national law.

The new Audiovisual Media Services without frontiers Directive, will allow the audiovisual sector confront the profound changes it faces to accommodate technological and market developments, and changing viewing habits resulting from convergence. It follows May's political agreement by the European Parliament and Council on the main aims and provisions of the Directive such as a new scope covering all audiovisual media services, more flexible advertising rules, a legal framework for product placement, new rights for citizens and the continued protection of key European values. The Directive is coherent with other recent Commission initiatives such as the proposed European strategy on mobile television, the plan to maximise the benefits of the digital dividend and the new MEDIA 2007 support programme. The forthcoming process of discussion and proposals on Creative Content Online will also supplement the progress made with the new Directive.

More information
Details of the communications and proposals can be found on the European Union official website www.europa.eu.