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The Medienrat is the independent regulatory authority of the German-speaking Community of Belgium. It regulates media services such as radio, television, video-sharing platforms, media libraries, streaming and much more. Networks used to transmit these media services are also regulated by the Medienrat.
This makes the Medienrat the point of contact for anyone wishing to offer a media service or an electronic communications network. Every provider must submit a form to the Medienrat before providing their services.
The Media Council is also the point of contact for complaints from citizens about television, radio, video-sharing platforms and electronic communications networks based in the German-speaking Community. It can also be contacted in relation to complaints about mediation services such as online platforms based in the EU.
The Media Council applies the provisions of the Media Decree of 1 March 2021 on media services and cinema screenings and ensures that they are complied with. In particular, it receives the reports from the providers of media services with an economic activity, allocates radio frequencies and monitors the protection of minors, compliance with the rules on media pluralism and on advertising. It analyses the markets for the transmission of media services and imposes the appropriate obligations on companies with significant market power, e.g. to grant competitors access to their television platform. The Media Council is authorised to impose administrative sanctions in the event of violations of the Media Decree 2021.
Cooperation on Belgian and European level
Additionally, the Medienrat collaborates with other Belgian media regulators, including the Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel (CSA), the Vlaamse Regulator voor de Media (VRM), and the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications (BIPT). Together with these regulators, the Medienrat forms the Conference of Regulators for Electronic Communications Networks (CRC), which cooperates in regulating electronic communications networks (and services), especially regarding market analyses. The Medienrat also collaborates with these Belgian regulatory authorities to implement the Digital Services Act (DSA).
On the European level, the Medienrat is member of the European Platform of Regulation Authorities (EPRA), the European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO) and the European Board for Media Services (EBMS).
For more information or for any question, do not hesitate to contact the Medienrat:
Medienrat der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft Belgiens
Gospertstraße 42
4700 Eupen
Belgien
info@medienrat.be