Other platforms
Last update: 02.09.08


The EPRA is of course not the only form of co-operation between regulatory authorities in existence. Other similar initiatives exist in Europe and elsewhere.

The following are worth mentioning:
 

The Mediterranean Network of Media Regulatory Authorities
 

The Mediterranean Network of Media Regulatory Authorities was established on 29 November 1997 in Barcelona on the initiative of Hervé Bourges (President of the French Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel - CSA) and Luís de Carreras (former President of the Catalan Consell de l'Audiovisual de Catalunya - CAC) in order to reinforce cultural and historical links between mediterranean countries and identify common challenges against the backdrop of globalisation.

The Mediterranean Network of Media Regulatory Authorities provides a platform for discussion and exchange of information and research on issues regarding broadcasting regulation. The network is currently composed of 18 members: the NCRT (Albania); The Radio Television Authority (Cyprus); The CRA (Bosnia and Herzegovina); the CSA (France); the Audiovisual Council (Jordan); the Catalan CAC, the Andalusian CAA and the CMT (Spain); the ERC (Portugal); the Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni (AGCOM - Italy); the National Council for Radio and Television (Greece) ; the Broadcasting Authority (Malta); The Audiovisual High Authority (Mauritania); the Radio and Television Supreme Council (Turkey); the Council for Cable TV and Satellite Broadcasting and the SATR (Israel), the Republic Broadcasting Agency (Serbia) and the HACA (Marocco).

The chairman is nominated by the members for a period of one year. The permanent secretariat of the network is co-ordinated by the French CSA in association with the Catalan CAC and the Cypriot authority.

The last meeting convened in Marrakech in November 2007. The next meeting will take place in Reggio Calabria (Italy) on 2-3 October 2008.

For more information, see the website of the Mediterranean network: http://www.rirm.org
 
 
Nordic Regulatory Co-operation
 
The regulatory authorities in the Nordic countries, i.e. Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, have established regional co-operation concerning e.g. legislation, cable and satellite operations, digital broadcasting, local and community radio. The first regular meeting convened in Stockholm in the spring of 1996 and yearly meetings (one and a half-day) have since convened in Fredrikstad (Norway), Helsinki, Reykjavik and Copenhagen and Stockholm. Recurrent topics on the agenda are recent developments in the field of media legislation and audio-visual policy. Each meeting also deals with special topics like advertising aimed at children, jurisdiction or undue prominence.
 
 
French/German/UK tripartite meetings
 
Regular so-called "tripartite meetings" are organised since 1996 between the French, German and UK regulators, i.e. CSA, the ALM and the Ofcom.
 
 
The African Communication Regulation Authorities Network (ACRAN)
 
ACRAN was established in 1998 in Libreville, Gabon. ACRAN aims at developing and reinforcing the co-operation between the communication regulatory authorities in Africa. It currently counts 25 members from Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tomé, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo and Tunisia. The headquarters of ACRAN are established at Cotonou, capital of the Republic of Benin.

For more information, see the website of ACRAN: http://www.acran.org
 
 
The Network of French-speaking media regulatory authorities (REFRAM)
 
The Network of French-speaking media regulatory authorities (REFRAM) held its constitutive meeting on 1st July 2007 in Ouagadougou, Burkina-Faso.This new platform comprises 20 regulatory authorities from French-speaking African and European countries as well as Canada. It aims at fostering the exchange of information and experiences between French-speaking regulators, supporting media and freedom of speech and encouraging professionalisation in the media field.
The Chairperson of REFRAM, elected for a two-year mandate is Luc-Adolphe Tiao, President of the regulatory authority from Burkina-Faso (Conseil supérieur de la communication). The Vice-chair is Ahmed Ghazali, Chairman of HACA, the Maroccan regulatory authority (Haute Autorité de la communication audiovisuelle du Maroc). The Permanent Secretariat of the network will be located at the French CSA.

News item of Belgian CSA: http://www.csa.be/breves/show/152
Press release of the French CSA: http://www.csa.fr/actualite/communiques/communiques_detail.php?id=123768
 
 
The Broadcasting Regulation and Cultural Diversity network (BRCD)
 

Further to the dialogue "Global Broadcasting, Cultural Diversity and Regulation" within the framework of the International Forum of Cultures in Barcelona 2004 and the so-called "Declaration of Barcelona", the Catalonia Broadcasting Council (CAC) was the instigator of the BRCD - Broadcasting Regulation & Cultural Diversity Network.
The BRCD is a permanent communications network for exchange of information and experiences that will serve to promote and protect cultural diversity in broadcast media around the world. The network is made up of regulatory agencies from around the world together with companies from the sector, professionals, international organizations, academics and interested persons. The aim of the BRCD is to foster cultural diversity in broadcast media and in the audiovisual sector in general.

For more information, see the website of BRCD: http://www.brcd.net/