Company: LBTYK
Filing Date: 2025-02-18
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0001570585-25-000021
Chunk: 42

Company: Liberty Global Ltd.
Filing Date: 2025-02-18
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1
Chunk 42
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, operators must apply domestic rates to intra-E.U. communications. Abolishing such surcharges may have an impact on our operations.

Broadcasting and Content Law

The Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) governs the activities of broadcasters under E.U. law. Generally, broadcasts originating in, and intended for reception within, an E.U. Member State must respect the laws of the receiving Member State. E.U. Member States must allow broadcast signals of broadcasters established in another E.U. Member State to be freely transmitted within their territory, so long as the broadcaster complies with the law of their home state. When offering third-party VoD services on our network, it is the third-party provider, and not us, that is regulated in respect of these services. The U.K. has a regulatory system that also reflect these principles.

The AVMSD established quotas, applicable to both linear and non-linear services, for the transmission of European-produced programming and programs made by European producers who are independent of broadcasters. Such obligations are applicable to our businesses in the E.U. The U.K. has similar principles. 

E.U. Member States may require service providers to contribute financially to the production of European works, including requiring contributions from providers of VoD services established in other territories that target audiences in their jurisdiction. Such obligations are applicable to (or are expected to become applicable to) certain of our businesses. 

I-23

The European Media Freedom Act (the EMFA), which will be applicable from August 8, 2025, aims to ensure media pluralism (i.e., allowing for a plurality of voices, opinions and analyses) across the E.U. and requires Member States to adopt substantive and procedural rules to allow competent authorities to assess media market concentrations that could have a significant impact on media pluralism and editorial independence. Additionally, under the EMFA, we may need to incur hardware replacement costs to allow users to change the device or interface configuration that controls their access to media services, allow users to customize their media offering in accordance with their interests and permit them to visualize the identity of the media service providers.

The European Commission regulations mandate that commercial providers of online content services (including OTT service providers) enable subscribers who are temporarily present in any Member State to access and use online content services in substantially the same manner as in their country of residence. We comply with these content portability requirements. 

In the U.K., the VMO2 JV is required to hold individual licenses under the Broadcasting Acts of 1990