EMFA Article 17. Coordination of measures concerning media services from outside the Union

National regulatory authorities or bodies have specific practical expertise that allows them to effectively balance the interests of the media service providers and recipients of media services, while ensuring respect for the freedom of expression and safeguarding and promoting media pluralism. That is key when it comes, in particular, to protecting the internal market from media services from outside the Union, irrespective of the means by which they are distributed or accessed, that target or reach audiences in the Union where, inter alia, in view of the control that could be exercised by third countries over them, they could prejudice or pose a risk of prejudice to public security. A risk of prejudice to public security could relate to a public provocation to commit a terrorist offence, as set out in Article 5 of Directive (EU) 2017/541 of the European Parliament and of the Council , and systematic international campaigns of foreign information manipulation and interference with a view to destabilising the Union as a whole or particular Member States. In that regard, the coordination between national regulatory authorities or bodies to face together possible public security threats stemming from such media services needs to be strengthened and given a legal framework to ensure the effectiveness and possible coordination of the national measures adopted in accordance with Union media law.

It is necessary to coordinate the national measures that could be adopted to counter public security threats by media services originating from or established outside of the Union and targeting audiences in the Union, including the possibility for the Board, in consultation with the Commission, to issue opinions on such measures, as appropriate, in particular where a situation affects several Member States. In that regard, risks to public security need to be assessed in light of all relevant factual and legal elements, at Union and national level, including any existing assessments of how the media service concerned is disseminated or received on the territory of the Union. The objective should be to allow for a more coordinated approach for the national regulatory authorities or bodies concerned in relation to restrictions on the distribution of such media services, without prejudice to the competence of Member States or their national regulatory authorities or bodies in accordance with Union law. In that regard, the national regulatory authorities or bodies concerned should be able to take into account the opinions of the Board when considering taking measures against a media service provider. That is without prejudice to the competence of the Union under Article 215 TFEU.

In order to further support national regulatory authorities or bodies in their role of protecting the internal market for media services from rogue media service providers, the Board should draw up a list of criteria concerning media service providers established or originating from outside of the Union. Such a list would help the national regulatory authorities or bodies concerned in situations where a relevant media service provider seeks jurisdiction in a Member State or where a media service provider already under the jurisdiction of a Member State appears to pose a serious and grave risk to public security. Elements to be covered in such a list could concern, inter alia, ownership, management, financing structures, editorial independence from third countries or adherence to co-regulatory or self-regulatory mechanisms governing editorial standards in one or more Member States.