The Audiovisual Media Authority held a business meeting on the procedure of implementation of the AVMS Directive and the release of the 700 MHz Frequency Band. This round table was attended by leaders of the authorities from Kosovo, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia and Serbia. The implementation of the Directive is a process in which Albania is engaged in the framework of European Integration. Such is the need to improve the national legal and sub-legal framework in the field of audio / audiovisual media, harmonization of legislation “acquis communitaire” in the field of audiovisual. The transposition of the Directive 2018/1808 is scheduled in the National Plan for European Integration (PKIE) 2022-2024. During her greeting speech Mrs. Armela Krasniqi, the President of AMA, thanked the participants who joined this regional round table and considered very important the exchange of experiences with AMA counterparts for the most effective transposition of the implementation of the EU Directive 2018/1808. Krasniqi said that “by the end of this year, the transposition of the articles of the Directive is foreseen, which constitute an amendment and improvement of the legal framework, such as: protection of children, access to media of persons with disabilities, issues of jurisdiction, promotion of European works, etc. Deputy Chairman of the Electronic Media Agency in Montenegro, Mrs. Jadranka Vojvodic, informed that her country has finalized the process of drafting legal amendments and the draft law is already in the approval phase. “The provisions regarding the independence of regulators take a special place in these new regulations, ownership and financing of the media as elements of media freedom, the definition of protection measures for children, the regulation of new media offers. Proposals for regulation have also been drafted; co-regulation and self-regulation, considering the awareness of stakeholders in this process”, emphasized Vojvodic.
Selver Ajdini, Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Electronic Media Agency in Northern Macedonia, announced that his country will complete the transposition of the Directive within two years and that all the rules set by the Union are foreseen.
Xhevat Latifi, Executive Director of the Independent Media Commission in Kosovo informed that the review of the legislative framework has started and the full approximation of the Directive is foreseen. According to him, a fully applicable approach is aimed at regulating the new media reality.
Sasa Simovic, Legal Adviser and Data Protection at the Electronic Media Regulatory Authority in Serbia, said that his country plans to transpose the Directive into national law by 2022. He pointed out that in Serbia the Media Regulator has also the power to control advertising prices.
The interlocutors shared the opinion that the main challenge faced by regulatory authorities in transposing the Directive is related to “video sharing” platforms. Participants from countries in the region praised this AMA initiative as especially fruitful not only in terms of exchange of experiences, but also in strengthening and consolidating cooperation between neighbours.
