Commission Report (2002): Latvia

• Progress since the last Regular Report
• Overall assessment
• Conclusions

Chapter 20: Culture and audio-visual policy

Progress since the last Regular Report

During the reference period further developments have taken place in this sector, particularly in terms of developing institutional structures.

However, there has been no particular progress in alignment of legislation with the audio-visual acquis during the last year.

Actions were taken to reinforce the Information Centre of the National Broadcasting Council.

The Information Centre of the National Broadcasting Council has finished the codification, study and evaluation of information resources. Activities carried out by the Centre included establishment of a web-site containing information on the Council and related activities, a seminar for local and regional TV broadcasters and a publication on electronic mass media in Latvia.

A Memorandum of Understanding, providing for Latvian participation in the Community Media Plus and Media Training programmes, was signed in July 2002, taking effect from January 2002.

In the field of culture, the Association Council decision allowing Latvia to participate fully in the ``Culture 2000''. programme as from 2001 was adopted in October 2001.

Overall assessment

Latvian legislation in this area is largely in line with the acquis. However, further amendments to the Latvian Radio and Television Law, in particular relating to provisions regarding major events and the proportion of Latvian music to be broadcast, will be necessary. Latvia must also review the requirements on the broadcasting time which public broadcasters must reserve for in-house production, in order to make it proportionate. Furthermore, the implementing legislation concerning broadcasting of major events provided for in the Radio and Television Law needs to be adopted.

The administrative structure of the National Broadcasting Council and its monitoring capabilities have to be further strengthened in terms of staffing and budgeting. Its sanctioning powers should be reinforced in order to assure effective compliance of broadcasters with the Law.

Latvia is party to the Council of Europe Convention on Transfrontier Television and its amending Protocol.

Conclusions

In its 1997 Opinion, the Commission concluded that provided that the necessary legislative amendments were pursued with sufficient urgency and were accompanied by the necessary structural adaptation of the industry, Latvia should be able to meet EC requirements in the audio-visual sector in the medium term.

Since the Opinion, Latvia has made significant progress, especially through the adoption in February 2001 of the Radio and Television Law. Latvia is well advanced in this domain, in particular as regards legislative alignment. The necessary administrative structures are in place.

Negotiations on this chapter have been provisionally closed. Latvia has not requested any transitional arrangements. Latvia is generally meeting the commitments it has made in the accession negotiations in this field.

In order to complete preparations for membership, Latvia`s efforts should now focus on completing alignment with the acquis and on reinforcing the sanctioning and monitoring powers of the National Broadcasting Council so as to assure effective and transparent supervision of the sector.

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