Italian Example of Applying New European Regulations

A representative of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) participated in a TAIEX study visit on the topic of applying the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) by the Italian regulatory authority (AGCOM) in Rome.

At the invitation of the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications, REM participated alongside representatives of the said Ministry, as well as representatives of both public broadcasters—Radio Television of Serbia and Radio Television of Vojvodina—in the two-day visit programme on 8–9 June, which comprehensively covered all the most critical parts of the implementation of this document, with which legislative alignment is planned.

A special overview was made regarding the evolution of the audiovisual sector, new media players (vloggers and online platforms), and the need to protect pluralism, freedom of expression, and the reception of information in the new media market.

Colleagues from different departments of AGCOM spoke on topics relating to key articles of this European document, such as the following: the rights of media service providers, the mandate and independence of media regulatory authorities, and cooperation between regulators. Discussions also covered examples of disinformation, methodology for monitoring media pluralism, media concentration analysis, media market research, and the issue of state advertising.

A special focus was placed on the articles dealing with safeguarding the independent functioning of public broadcasters, during which a visit to the Italian public broadcaster (RAI) was organised for the participants, where they had the opportunity to learn about the organisation, functioning, and capacities of this system.