It coordinates EU-wide legislation on all audiovisual media, including both traditional TV broadcasters and on-demand video services, and lays down essential protection measures with regard to content shared on video-sharing platforms. European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton said :
With the audiovisual services directive, we are taking a new step to creating a 21st century European media framework to allow for new innovative services, to promote European culture in on-demand catalogues and to protect our children from illicit and harmful content online. We are working closely with EU member states to ensure that the directive is transposed completely and efficiently.
The new rules support the larger work programme of the Commission with respect to the upcoming Digital Services Act which aims to clarify the responsibilities of online platforms and social media. Over the past years, the Commission has supported member state authorities, including through the Contact Committee and the European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA) on the transposition of the AVMSD. Recently, the Commission published guidelines on European works and video-sharing platforms.