Community participation in the European Audiovisual Observatory

Established in 1992, the European Audiovisual Observatory is the focal point for collecting and disseminating information on the audiovisual industry in Europe. This Decision makes the European Community a member of the European Audiovisual Observatory. It also tasks the Commission with representing the Community in dealings with the Observatory.

ACT

Council Decision No 1999/784/EC of 22 November 1999 concerning Community participation in the European Audiovisual Observatory [See amending acts].

SUMMARY

The Ministers and Representatives of 26 European States and the President of the European Commission, meeting in Paris in October 1989, adopted a Joint Declaration establishing the European Audiovisual Observatory.

The Ministers and Representatives of the various European States subsequently decided in June 1992 in Helsinki to set up the European Audiovisual Observatory, with the stated objectives being to:

• improve the flow of information within the audiovisual industry;
• promote a clearer view of the market and greater transparency.

The Observatory was to focus in the first instance on the main categories of information requested by the professionals.

The Observatory was eventually established in Strasbourg on the basis of a "Partial Agreement" of the Council of Europe adopted in December 1992.

Its Statute stipulates that "the aim of the Observatory shall be to improve the transfer of information within the audiovisual industry, to promote a clearer view of the market and a greater transparency and specifically, the task of the Observatory shall be to collect and process information and statistics on the audiovisual sector (namely, legal, economic and programme information)".

The Commission has been a member of the Observatory since its foundation and is represented on its constituent bodies (the Executive Council and the Advisory Committee) and on its various working bodies such as the Financial Committee.

It contributes to the Observatory's operating budget according to a financial weighting, which puts the Commission's share on a par with that of the larger members.

Decision No 1999/784/EC

By virtue of this Decision the Community became a member of the European Audiovisual Observatory.

The Commission represents the Community in its dealings with the Observatory.

The appropriations required for the Community's financial contribution to the Observatory's operating budget are authorised by the budgetary authority in accordance with the relevant financial perspective.

The Community's participation and financial contribution was to cover a period of five years from 1999 to 2004.

Extension until 2013

Firstly, Decision No 2239/2004/EC, adopted in 2004, extended the Community's participation in the Observatory until the end of 2006.

The Decision also requested that the Observatory:

• strengthen its capacity to follow new developments in multimedia and new technologies;
• collect and provide expertise and systematic information in fields - such as those of fiscal and labour law, copyright and consumer protection law - liable to throw up barriers to the free circulation of audiovisual goods and services;
• collect data on the levels of services provided to assist disabled people, such as subtitling, audio description and sign language.

Under Decision No 1718/2006/EC, which established the MEDIA 2007 programme, the Community's participation in the Observatory was subsequently extended further to cover the whole duration of the programme, i.e. until 2013.

RELATED ACTS

Decision No 2239/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 November 2004 amending Council Decision 1999/784/EC concerning Community participation in the European Audiovisual Observatory [Official Journal L 390 of 31.12.2004].

EVALUATION REPORTS

Commission report of 10 January 2007 on the implementation of Council Decision 1999/784/EC of 22 November 1999, as amended by Decision 2239/2004/EC of the EP and the Council, concerning Community participation in the European Audiovisual Observatory [COM(2006) 835 final - not published in the Official Journal].

The report confirms the positive assessment of relations between the Community and the Observatory which had been presented in the interim report in 2002. It stresses the role of the Observatory as an essential source of information for both private and public operators in the audiovisual sector.

Commission report of 11 November 2002 on the implementation of Council Decision 1999/784/EC of 22 November 1999 concerning Community participation in the European Audiovisual Observatory [COM(2002) 619 final - not published in the Official Journal].

The report underlines that the Commission and the Observatory have been able to develop a solid professional partnership that is of benefit both to the industry and to public authorities.

This partnership gives the industry access to sources of up-to-date detailed information on the audiovisual sector. The information provided by the Observatory also means that public authorities can be more familiar with the market, helping them interact better with industry representatives.

See also

For further information, please see the Site of the European Audiovisual Observatory

Last updated: 30.08.2007