On 10 December 2009, six regulatory authorities from Central and Eastern Europe signed an act establishing the Central European Regulatory Forum (CERF). A Memorandum of Understanding on mutual co-operation and exchange of information was signed between the Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting (Czechia), the National Radio and Television Commission (Hungary), the National Broadcasting Council (Poland), the National Audiovisual Council (Romania), the Republic Broadcasting Agency (Serbia) and the Council for Broadcasting and Retransmission of the Slovak Republic (Slovakia). These authorities share similar developments with regard to media legislation. The Agency for Electronic Media (Croatia) and the Agency for Communication Networks and Services (Slovenia) have joined the forum since.
CERF aims to contribute to the development of the media landscape in Central and Eastern Europe. The co-operation concerns the implementation of guidelines for proceeding in the case when a broadcast from one country breaches the laws of another country. The handling of complaints against TV or radio programmes with cross-border relevance is also foreseen in the agreement. The text of the agreement between the British and the Swedish broadcasting authorities was used as a template for formulating this Memorandum. The regular exchange of ideas and best practices are important elements of the cooperation, yet the pivotal goal of the regulatory forum is the handling of complaints against transfrontier broadcasts. CERF holds one meeting a year at the invitation of a regulatory authority.
Contact Person:
Mr. György Ocskó
Media Council of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority of Hungary
ocsko.gyorgy@nmhh.hu
