EU Consults On The Satellite And Cable Directive

As part of the European Commission's ambitious plan for a Digital Single Market, it proposes to create "a modern, more European copyright law". One of its initiatives is reform of the regulations on the copyright clearing rules for satellite and cable broadcasting. The Commission is now seeking views on whether those are still relevant.

The broadcasting landscape has changed dramatically since the EU Satellite and Cable Directive (the Directive) came into force over two decades ago. The advent of digital content and the internet has allowed for new forms of broadcasting, including the ability to watch content on demand, through "webcasting" and "simulcasting".

The Commission is asking interested parties for their views on (a) whether the Directive has improved consumers' cross-border access to broadcasting services in the internal market and (b) the impact of extending the Directive to cover broadcast services provided over the internet.