MS Partners

Agcom

The Member State Leading partner, the Italian “Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni” (AGCOM), is the Italian independent regulator of the communications sector, established by law 249 of 1997 with the dual task of ensuring fair competition among operators in the market and protecting the fundamental freedoms of users. Convergence and independence are the constitutive elements that characterize its activities and decisions.

AGCOM is “convergent” because it performs regulatory and supervisory functions in all the communications markets: electronic communications, audiovisual, publishing, online copyright, postal services, and -more recently- online platforms. The profound changes brought about by the digitalization of the signal, which has standardized the transmission systems of audio (including voice), video (including television), and data (including access to the Internet), are at the basis of the convergent model chosen by the Italian legislator in 1997 and now shared also by other sector authorities at the European and international levels.

Arcom

Created on 1 January 2022, the Audiovisual and Digital Communication Regulatory Authority (Arcom) is the result of the merger between the French broadcasting regulator (CSA) established in 1989, and the authority overseeing the dissemination of works and the protection of property rights online (Hadopi), created in 2009. The major changes in the audiovisual and digital landscape required the creation of a new regulator with strengthened and expanded powers. As the guarantor of freedom of communication and expression in audiovisual and digital spaces, Arcom’s role is to oversee the democratic and social responsibilities of audiovisual media and online platforms, to ensure pluralism in audiovisual news media and the independence of public broadcasting, to provide economic equilibrium to the sector, and to support creation. Arcom, an independent public authority, is composed of a board of nine people: its chair and eight other members, four men and four women. They are appointed by five separate authorities, to ensure independence and to encourage diversity of backgrounds.

Die Medienstalten

Die Medienstalten: the 14 state media authorities in Germany are the central supervisory authorities for the regulation of private broadcasting and telemedia in Germany. The core mission of the media authorities is to ensure the plurality of media offerings and opinions, and to protect media freedom. 14 state media authorities, one joint management office: how the cooperation works.

Media regulation in Germany is organized on a federal basis. That is why there are 14 independent state media authorities. In cases of cross-state significance and for central tasks and projects, the state media authorities therefore work together under the umbrella brand “Die Medienanstalten” in nationwide committees, review and working groups.

NCRTV

The National Council of Radio and Television (NCRTV) is an independent administrative authority that supervises and regulates the radio/television market, founded in 1989. It has been established by the Greek Constitution (art. 15 par. 2) and charged with exercising control over audiovisual media services (radio and television providing linear and non-linear services) in both public and private domains. Following the AVMS Directive 1808/2018, its control has been expanded to include video-sharing platforms. The NCRTV has been operating since 1989 (Law 1866/1989) as an independent authority possessing administrative, monitoring, sanctioning and regulatory powers. As an independent authority, the NCRTV is part of the executive branch but is not controlled by the state government. Its activity is supervised by the Hellenic Parliament and its acts are subject to the judiciary control of the State Council.

CECL

The CECL is a mandated body with extensive experience in the area of institution and capacity building, provision of policy advice to governments and policy actors, legislative drafting, simplification and reengineering of administrative procedures, reduction of administrative burdens. The Centre is active in many areas related to the protection of fundamental rights and coordinates the National Focal Point of the Fundamental Rights Agency of the European Union in Greece, responsible for systematic collection of data and monitoring of legislative and policy developments in the area of human rights.