European Laws Regarding Satellite Television and Satellite Dishes

EU Law tries to eliminate a number of existing restrictions (and prevent potential ones) on the use of satellite dishes. It states that private individuals should be free to use satellite dishes without undue technical, administrative, urban planning or tax obstacles.

However, it is not as simple as that. The keyword is "undue".

For example, regarding planning laws, "concerns of an architectural and town-planning nature, which are often cited in this context, can be met by solutions which make it possible, where necessary and technically feasible, to minimise the visual and aesthetic impact of satellite dishes without impairing quality of reception, under reasonable conditions and at reasonable cost; such solutions can, for example, involve the location of the dish or the type of dish (e.g. a collective dish rather than numerous individual dishes)."

So you are not automatically entitled to a satellite dish if planning restrictions are not granted. They do not have to be granted, but you are required to seek the best solution acceptable to all parties involved.

Further reading from the clauses and attachments and appendices of the directives has this .

"...regarding planning laws, "concerns of an architectural and town-planning nature", which are often cited in this context, can be met by solutions which make it possible, where necessary and technically feasible, to minimise the visual and aesthetic impact of satellite dishes without impairing quality of reception, under reasonable conditions and at reasonable cost; such solutions can, for example, involve the location of the dish or the type of dish (e.g. a collective dish rather than numerous individual dishes)."

It does not say "forget all planning laws" and "everyone can have a dish".

"Tax obstacles: The Commission reiterates its opposition to taxes which are specifically targeted at satellite dishes."

It states that no charge specifically for planning permission for dishes, but this does not rule out a general planning permission charge, which many town halls can apply for most alterations / additions to property.

"Administrative obstacles: It is not acceptable to make the installation of a satellite dish subject to systematic prior authorisation or completion of a complex and expensive administrative procedure."

For this its down to the interpretation. It does not say "no paperwork required" for installations, but no "complex and expensive paperwork", but then does not give you a definition of "complex and expensive paperwork".

Reading all the attached documents and articles relating to a directive gives a lot more detail and insight rather than the generalised directive on its own, which unfortunately many newspapers and other installers have done.

I live in Europe. Why can I not watch my own Country's TV.

Despite what other installers say or claim, under EU law there is no automatic right for you to watch UK television channels like BBC TV and ITV in Spain.

Under the EUs Freedom of Information Act you do have a right to be able to receive a channel in your own language.

However, the the EUs Freedom of Information Act does not state WHAT channels must be made available.

And this is why most EU countries have at least one pan European TV channels in their own language. These tend to be news channels.

For British expats in Europe, this is covered by the availability of BBC News and Sky News, both of which are free and easily available via satellite on an 80cm satellite dish over most of Europe. All other countries in the EU also have their own free to air news channel available for free over Europe - TVEi for Spanish expats, France 24 for French expats.

And so it can be argued that these news channels satisfy the requirements of the EU Freedom of Information Act.

And so it can be said that a President of a community does not need to give permission for you to have a big dish installed so you can received BBC and ITV in your community in Spain. In fact , if there is a satellite dish already installed in your community, then the likely hood is that it is already able to receive the BBC World News service, and so the community is already complying with the law.

The main obstacle is how the copyright and contracts for programmes between programme makers, governing bodies (i.e. the FA), and the broadcasters are made. Many are based on exclusivity in certain countries.