The Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) harmonises national legislation on audiovisual media: traditional TV broadcasts, on-demand services as well as video-sharing platforms. The aim of the AVMSD is to facilitate the cross-border circulation of audiovisual services while ensuring a minimum level of harmonised rules in areas of general public interest.
The latest review of the AVMSD has been completed in November 2018 and the new rules have to be transposed by Member States by September 2020.
For the first time, the revised AVMSD extends certain audiovisual rules to video sharing platforms, including audiovisual content shared on certain social media services. The revised AVMSD strengthens also the promotion of cultural diversity, by introducing clear obligations for on-demand services to have at least a 30% share of European content in their catalogue and to ensure the prominence of this content. Under the revised AVMSD, the Commission is required to issue the following guidelines:
- Guidelines on Video sharing platforms (VSPs), clarifying to which extent social media actors will be covered by the new rules, paying due regard to the objectives of public interest to be achieved by the new rules and to the right to freedom of expression;
- Guidelines on European Works, on the calculation of the 30% share of European works in Video on Demand (VOD) catalogues and on the definition of low audience and low turnover exemptions.
The Commission has consulted the Contact Committee under Article 29 of the AVMSD and run a targeted stakeholders’ consultation.