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EU Directives

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 December 2018

Wednesday, 12 December 2018

Ceisteanna (204, 205, 206)

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

204. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the ongoing review of the audiovisual media services directive; the action or research he is undertaking; if and when a consultation process will commence with stakeholders on transposition of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52366/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

205. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the details of the national regulatory authority to be appointed which will monitor and ensure that video sharing platforms have appropriate measures in place as part of the audiovisual media service directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52367/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

206. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on whether it is appropriate for an authority which has not yet been formally appointed to seek meetings with industry and social media companies that will fall under the scope of the new audiovisual media service directive (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52368/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 204 to 206, inclusive, together.

The current Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) was codified in 2010 and contains rules and requirements that form the minimum standards that Television Broadcasting Services and On-demand Audiovisual Media Services such as the RTÉ Player or the iTunes Store, must follow in the EU. The provisions of the current Directive are reflected in Irish law in the Broadcasting Act 2009 and related statutory instruments.

In May 2016 the European Commission published a proposed revision of the AVMS Directive. The proposal was designed to update the rules and requirements in the AVMSD to reflect the rapid changes that the video media market was and is experiencing. One part of the proposal concerned new rules and requirements, separate to those existing for Television Broadcasting Services and On-demand Audiovisual Media Services, for Video Sharing Platform Services, for example YouTube and Dailymotion.

The text of the revised Directive has been adopted by the EU and was officially published on 27 November 2018. Following a 20 day standstill period the revised Directive will enter into force and Ireland will then have 21 months to implement the provisions of the revised Directive. The deadline by which Ireland must implement the provisions is 19 September 2020.

Ireland is committed to ensuring that the provisions of the revised Directive are implemented in Ireland in a robust and effective manner and my Department has been carrying out preparatory work in relation to this matter since late 2017. Given that the final text has now been published, and the challenging legislative timeline involved, as a first step it is intended that a public consultation will commence shortly to gather the views and suggestions of stakeholders on how Ireland should approach the implementation of the provisions of the revised Directive, including the issue of a national regulatory authority in respect of Video Sharing Platform Services.

On the specific question regarding meetings held by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, I have no role in the Authority's day to day operations given that it is a statutorily independent body.

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