Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether he now plans to negotiate mutual recognition of broadcasting regulation standards with the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

The audiovisual sector is both economically and culturally important to the UK and the EU. In our future partnership with the EU, we are seeking to maintain regulatory flexibility in important parts of the UK’s services economy, including broadcasting. Overall, this represents the best, credible proposal for the future relationship and a new and fair balance of rights and obligations.

As the Prime Minister stated in the Mansion House speech, the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) will no longer apply in the UK after the UK leaves the EU and with it the single market. As a result, the “country of origin” principle, in which a company based in one Member State can be licenced by a national regulator and broadcast into any other Member State, will no longer apply.

The UK is seeking the best possible arrangements for the broadcasting sector. We are focussing on ensuring the ability to trade as freely as possible with the EU and supporting the continued growth of the UK and European broadcasting industry. In addition, due to the UK's ongoing participation in the Council of Europe's Convention on Transfrontier Television (CTT), which will not be affected by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, works originating in the UK will continue to be classed as European Works, which is extremely important to industry.