European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA)

The European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA) brings together heads and high-level representatives of national independent regulatory bodies in the field of audiovisual services. These representatives advise the Commission on the implementation of the AVMSD.

The European Commission established ERGA in 2014. The review of the AVMSD in 2018 strengthened ERGA's role. It also introduced specific requirements to guarantee the independence of the national regulatory authorities. 

Under the revised AVMSD, ERGA has the following tasks:

• to provide technical expertise to the Commission in its task to ensure a consistent implementation of this Directive in all Member States and on matters related to audiovisual media services within its competence;
• to exchange experience and best practices on the application of the regulatory framework for audiovisual media services including on accessibility and media literacy;
• to cooperate and provide its members with the information necessary for the application of the AVMSD;
• to give opinions, when requested by the Commission, on the technical and factual aspects of the issues pursuant to Article 2(5c), Article 3(2) and (3), point (c) of Article 4(4) and Article 28a(7) of the AVMSD.

Since 2023, Giacomo Lasorella, President of the Italian regulator AGCOM is the elected Chair of ERGA, with Carlos Aguilar Paredes, Member of the Board of the Spanish regulator CNMC serving as Vice-Chair.

More information on the work and activities of ERGA

ERGA Plenary Meetings

The next plenary meetings of ERGA are scheduled to take place on 3-4 July and 21-22 November 2024. Besides its bi-annual plenary meetings, ERGA holds a range of meetings and workshops throughout the year to conducts its work and foster the exchanges among its members. Information on past meetings can be found on the ERGA website.

ERGA Documents

ERGA has produced a wide range of reports and statements on the AVMSD and other matters related to audiovisual media services. These documents can be found on the ERGA website.  

Work Programme

To guide its work, ERGA adopts annual work programmes outlining the objectives of its various subgroups.

• ERGA Work Programme 2024 (.pdf)

Rules of Procedure

• ERGA’s Rules of Procedure (.pdf), as amended on 10 December 2019

Background information

The AVMSD recognises the role of the independent regulatory authorities. In most Member States these authorities are responsible for the enforcement of the national measures transposing the rules of the Directive.

Member States are required to ensure that the competent national regulatory authorities are legally distinct from the government and functionally independent of their respective governments and of any other public or private body.

And, Member States need to guarantee that national regulatory authorities exercise their powers impartially, transparently and in accordance with the objectives of the Directive. This includes the objectives of media pluralism, cultural and linguistic diversity, consumer protection, accessibility, non-discrimination, the proper functioning of the internal market and the promotion of fair competition.

Member States must set up transparent procedures for the appointment and dismissal of the head of the national regulatory authority or the members of the collegiate body fulfilling that function. Member States also have to ensure that an effective appeal mechanism for the decisions of a national regulatory authority is in place.