Cezary Szyjko: A new paradigm of the EU's audiovisual Policy In the Ligot of creation informatisation society

The EU's role in the audiovisual field is to create a single European market for audiovisual services. It is also required to take cultural aspects into account in all its policies. These days we can watch our favourite programmes from all over Europe not just on TV, but also via the internet or on our mobile phones. Like other goods and services, the audiovisual media are subject to the rules of the single European market. To function optimally, this "single European TV market" needs a minimum set of common rules covering aspects like advertising and protection of minors. These rules are laid down in the EU's Audiovisual Media Services Directive, which governs EU-wide coordination of national legislation on all audiovisual media, both traditional TV broadcasts and on-demand services.