I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 43 together.
The importance of broadcasting in maintaining cultural diversity in an enlarged Europe was among the topics that were considered at the recent informal meeting of EU broadcasting Ministers that I arranged as part of Ireland's Presidency of the EU.
One of the specific issues which Ministers discussed during the meeting was the regulation of broadcasting services which are specifically targeted at one member state but are actually subject to the national regulations of another member state. This is an issue which Ireland raised last July in its formal submission to the EU Commission as part of the Commission's review of the television without frontiers directive.
The meeting provided an opportunity for Ministers to have a political discussion on some important matters in an informal setting. In what was a very open, wide-ranging and provocative debate there was a marked divergence of views on the issue of jurisdictional competence. Some member states spoke forcefully against any change to the country of origin principle. Others argued strongly that broadcasting services that specifically target one member state but derive from a broadcaster in another member state should be subject to the regulation of the target country. There were other member states who indicated that while they had not adopted a position on the question that they were in favour of the matter being explored further as part of the Commission's review of the directive.
On the second day of the conference in Drogheda the Commission recognised that quite a few member states had serious concerns regarding the question of jurisdiction and stated that it would engage with member states on this topic in the context of the ongoing review process. Member states will have a further opportunity to discuss the question at the Education, Youth and Culture Council meeting scheduled for 27 and 28 May.
