Cullen International just updated our two benchmarks that track the progress in the transposition of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) across 14 European countries and the most interesting proposals under discussion.

EU Member States had to transpose the AVMSD by 19 September 2020. So far, five of the fourteen countries covered have transposed the directive. In particular:

• The Swedish parliament approved the Modernised TV and Radio law on 21 October 2020. The law will enter into force on 1 December 2020.
• In Germany, the new Interstate Media Treaty (which was already agreed at the end of 2019) entered into force on 7 November 2020 following a long process of formal adoption by the parliaments of the Lander.
• The Netherlands and the UK have transposed the directive at the end of September 2020. The UK is bound to implement the directive since the transposition deadline falls before the end of the Brexit transition period (end of 2020). The arrangements after this date will depend on the results of the negotiation on the future relationship between the UK and the EU.
• In Denmark, the transposition process was completed during the summer 2020.

In Finland, final adoption was expected in October 2020 but has been delayed.

Since the last report, the process has moved forward in a number of other countries:

• The French government closed a consultation on its draft ordinance which will implement the directive. The government is expected to complete the process by the end of 2020.
• The Italian draft law that delegates to the government the powers to implement the directive by legislative decree passed one parliament house on 29 October 2020. The other parliament house has started examination of the text as amended.
• In Croatia, the government adopted a draft law on 12 November 2020 and sent it to parliament for examination.

In the other countries draft laws are still in preparation and have not yet been introduced in parliament. Developments occurred:

• In Spain, the government adopted a draft law amending the General Audiovisual law and submitted it to public consultation until 3 December 2020
• In Poland, the government closed a consultation on a preliminary draft law. According to the Polish Constitution, the council of ministers may classify a bill adopted by itself as urgent thus shortening deadlines for parliamentary procedures and signature of the adopted act.

In Belgium, both the Flemish and Wallonia parliaments are expected to receive the respective draft legislation by the end of the month following final government approval.

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