EU: Public Service broadcasting

On 17 November at the Culture Council, Commission Oreja will present a joint paper with Commission Van Miert, on the funding of public service broadcasting. Having considered proposals from a commissioned think tank, Oreja claims to have reached a solution which will achieve a consensus. However, opposition exists between Germany, whose Länder have a direct responsibility for public television channels and who call for the exclusive competence of Member States in all aspects of public television including its funding, and the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, who have called for a more flexible approach across the EU.