AMENDMENT TO THE ACT ON MEDIA SERVICES

#124Amendment to the Act on Media Services

An amendment to the Act on Media Services was approved, which brings new powers to the Media Services Council (RpMS). It will now become a coordinating body that will supervise compliance with the obligations of providers of online intermediary services, including internet search engines.

The primary goal of the approved amendment to the law is the implementation of the regulation of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union on the single market for digital services and on the amendment of the directive to the Slovak legal order. According to the new EU regulations, the main task of the EU member states is to appoint the so-called coordinator of digital services independent of private entities.

The new European regulations on digital services represent a pan-European regulation of internet content within intermediary services. New rules are being introduced for their providers, including online marketplaces, social networks, online travel and accommodation platforms, app stores and similar types of online platforms.

The Council for Media Services will now, as a coordinating body, within its powers:

1. apply EU regulations on digital services, perform market surveillance and impose sanctions in case of breach of obligations;
2. decide on the announcement of tenders for radio frequencies;
3. have appropriate investigative powers in connection with market surveillance.

The approved amendment to the Act on Media Services regulates, in addition to the mentioned changes, the area of ​​multimodal access (voice commentary for the blind) in RTVS television broadcasts. Now, journalistic programs, the essence of which consists in the discussion of guests, will be exempted from this obligation.