European TV Laws
There are numerous European TV Laws, with most integrated into EU countries national Laws.
Many of these European TV Laws are to standardise TV regulation across the EU Member States.
For example, standardizing the number of advert minutes per hour.
I live in Europe. Why can I not watch my own Country’s TV.
Despite what other satellite TV 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 or other European countries.
Under the EUs Freedom of Information Act (and possibly the EU Human Rights laws) you do have a right to be able to receive a channel in your own language.
However, these EU Laws do 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 the availability of these English language news channels (BBC World News and Sky News) 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 broadcasting rights 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.
This issue of cross border TV is currently being looked into by the EU. The EU is considering making broadcasters allowing temporary travellers, ie holiday makers, access to their own TV channels or digital content in other EU member states. The idea being that,for example, each UK household will be allowed access to BBC iPlayer in other EU countries for X number of days. This will not allow expats living abroad to watch their own countries TV channels all year around.
Some other European TV Laws
European Laws Regarding Satellite Television and Satellite Dishes – European TV Laws tries to eliminate a number of existing restrictions (and prevent potential ones) on the use of satellite dishes.
Television Without Frontiers EU Directive – Many people are under the impression that European Law, and in particular the Television without Frontiers Directive, means that you can watch your own countries television in any country. This is not the case.
European Commission setting out the right to use a satellite dish in the internal market. EU Communication IP/01/913 – 2 July 2001. – EU Communication IP/01/913 – European Commission setting out the right to use a satellite dish in the internal market.
La Comisión enuncia el derecho a la antena parabólica en el Mercado Interior. EU Communication IP/01/913 – 2 July 2001. – La Comisión enuncia el derecho a la antena parabólica en el Mercado Interior. EU Communication IP/01/913