Has the Commission changed its policy as regards PSBs? Is it now taking a tougher line?
No. The approach followed in the letters sent to Ireland, The Netherlands and Germany on 3rd March 2005 (see IP/05/250) is a continuation of the Commission’s policy established in earlier cases. Increased competition between private and public broadcasters in the early 1990s led to numerous complaints by private broadcasters against the financing of PSBs in several Member States. Private broadcasters alleged that the public service task was not described in a clear manner, that there was no adequate independent supervision, that the accounts were not transparent and that the public broadcasters received more funding than necessary for their tasks. Where the financing mechanisms are not transparent PSB could use public funds for their commercial activities. Based on these complaints, the Commission assessed ad hoc financing measures in France, Italy and Portugal in 2003, coming to the conclusion that PSBs had not in fact benefited from over-compensation. However, these investigations re
