Council Resolution of 22 July 1993 on the development of technology and standards in the field of advanced television services
Date: 1993-07-22
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: cable distribution, electronics industry, harmonisation of standards, high-definition television, technological change













EUR-Lex - 31993Y0803(01) - EN






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31993Y0803(01)

Council Resolution of 22 July 1993 on the development of technology and standards in the field of advanced television services  


Official Journal C 209 , 03/08/1993 P. 0001 - 0002 





COUNCIL RESOLUTIONof 22 July 1993on the  development of technology and standards in the field of advanced television services(93/C   209/01)THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Whereas the Community, through Decision 89/337/EEC  (1), Decision 89/630/EEC  (2) and Directive  92/38/EEC  (3), recognized the strategic importance of high-definition television (HDTV) for the  European consumer electronics industry and for the European television and film industries and  established the strategy framework for the introduction of European HDTV; Whereas the Council, through this resolution, has agreed upon the framework for an action plan for  the introduction of advanced television services in Europe having the objective of accelerating the  development of the market for advanced television services in the widescreen 16:9 format; Whereas it is necessary to bring forward the review of Directive 92/38/EEC to ensure its coherence  with current market and technological realities; Whereas digital technology will be important for future television systems; Whereas it is important that Europe have a coherent global approach to the development of  technology and standards for new digital television systems; Having reached agreement on the framework for an action plan as contained in the Annex hereto, CONSIDERS THAT: 1.  An action plan for the introduction of advanced television services in Europe should be  accompanied by additional measures to ensure the coherence of Community policy for advanced  television. 2. One of these measures is a revision of Directive 92/38/EEC on standards for television  broadcasting as provided for in the text, in order to adapt it to the current market and  technological realities. 3. Digital technology is essential for future television systems. It is important that the  Community develop a coherent global approach to the development of technology and standards for new  digital television systems, INVITES THE COMMISSION: 1.  To propose to the Council, before 1 October 1993, a revision of Directive 92/38/EEC reflecting  the need for a flexible and workable regulatory framework which responds to the needs of the market  and to technological developments. In this respect, the proposals could take account of the  following issues, inter alia: (i)  the possible need to expand the scope to allow other standards, in addition to D2-MAC, to be  used for the broadcast of not completely digital 625 line television services in the 16:9 format;  (ii) the possible need to expand the scope to cover standards for terrestrial transmission and  cable distribution;  (iii) the possible need to limit the number of different standards as far as possible;  (iv) the possible need for a European non-proprietary encryption/conditional access system serving  a number of competing service providers;  (v) the possible requirement that all new television transmission and encryption systems to be  used in the Community should be standardized by the competent European standardization bodies;  (vi) the possible need to change other Articles of the Directive to ensure consistency following  any changes introduced under the above provisions. 2. To bring forward to the Council before 1 October 1993 a communication and possible proposal on  digital television containing the following elements, inter alia: (i) mechanisms for achieving early agreement on a common Community perspective on the development  and needs of the market for digital television systems which can inform and guide the  standardization of such systems, including the feasibility of a single (family of) digital  television standard(s) and matching encryption system(s);  (ii) a timetable for the development, system specification, system implementation, evaluation and  subsequent standardization;  (iii) Community funding of the above activities, if required. HEREBY ADOPTS the Framework Agreement for an action plan for the introduction of advanced  television services in Europe set out in the Annex; INSTRUCTS the Permanent Representatives Committee to ensure that the detailed text of the action  plan takes account of the principles contained in the Framework Agreement; AGREES, that the text of the action plan will be adopted by the Council before the end of July  1993. (1)  OJ No L 142, 25. 5. 1989, p. 1.  (2)  OJ No L 363, 13. 12. 1989, p. 30.  (3)  OJ No L 137, 20. 5. 1992, p. 17. ANNEX Framework Agreement for an action plan for the introduction of advanced television  services in Europe 1.  The plan is directed solely at promoting the 16:9 format (625 or 1  250  lines), irrespective of the European television standard used, and irrespective of the broadcasting  mode (terrestrial, satellite or cable). 2. The Community funds shall cover only part of the difference in costs between  production/broadcasting in the customary 4:3 format and in the 16:9 format; the Community funds  shall generally cover up to only 50  % of the extra costs. The remaining 50  % is to be provided  from other sources. The Council attaches great importance to the involvement of the economic  operators in the financing and agrees that the funding provided by them shall be at least 50  % of  the non-Community funding. Such economic operators shall be afforded due recognition under Community R& D and standardization  activities, always in accordance with the general rules for participation in these actions. 3. The support is allocated on a yearly 'first-come-first-served` basis with preference for  projects where the matching funds stem from the economic operators. 4. 30  % of the Community funding will be reserved for markets not being fully serviced in the  early stages of the implementation of the action plan. These funds could cover up to 80  % of the  extra costs, while the remaining 20  % is to be provided from other sources. 5. The action plan should be as simple as possible and based on transparent, fair and  unbureaucratic mechanisms. 6. The funds shall be allocated to broadcasters or producers based in the Community on the basis of  hours produced and transmitted in the 16:9 format, with a maximum support of × ECU per hour. The  support will depend on the actual costs of the type of programme and its technical quality, with  special emphasis on programmes produced in Europe. New productions will thus receive the highest  level of support. Only broadcasters transmitting more than 50 hours of 16:9 services per year will  receive funding. 7. Community funding is fixed at ECU 160 million. The funding will be given only provided  applicants have demonstrated that other sources have already committed themselves to providing the  remaining 50  %. In addition to the ECU 160 million, ECU 68 million are held in reserve until 1  January 1995 for markets not being serviced in the early stages of the implementation of the action  plan. The ECU 68 million will have to be matched by ECU 17 million from other sources. 8. The action plan shall cover a period of four years expiring at the end of June 1997. 9. Emphasis will be given to creating a considerable spread in the markets serviced by the action  plan, with due recognition of the need to achieve the critical mass and facilitating the uptake of  all technologies, including fully digital technology.  Rate of interest applied by the European Monetary Cooperation Fund for its operations in  ecus: 7,50  % for August 1993 Ecu  (1) (93/C  209/02) Currency amount for one unit:   2. 8. 1993  July  (2)  2. 8. 1993  July  (2) Belgian andLuxembourg franc 40,7481     40,2940Danish krone 7,81737    7,55659German mark 1,92666    1,95094Greek drachma 268,675     266,971Spanish peseta 160,343    153,043French franc 6,72994    6,64476Irish pound 0,803632     0,806562Italian lira 1799,13  1801,86Dutch guilder 2,16841    2,19395Portuguese escudo 199,522     190,384Pound sterling 0,751033    0,760394United States dollar 1,11303    1,13847Canadian  dollar 1,42947    1,45980Japanese yen 116,924    122,498Swiss franc 1,68902    1,72410Norwegian  krone 8,31657    8,31236Swedish krona 9,06508    9,06188Finnish markka 6,58135     6,57347Austrian schilling 13,5545    13,7310Icelandic krona 80,8951    81,7248Australian dollar  1,61543    1,68023New Zealand dollar 2,02002    2,07548The Commission has installed a telex with  an automatic answering device which gives the conversion rates in a number of currencies. This  service is available every day from 3.30 p.m. until 1 p.m. the following day. Users of the service  should do as follows: -  call telex number Brussels 23789; -  give their own telex code; -  type the code 'cccc` which puts the automatic system into operation resulting in the  transmission of the conversion rates of the ecu; - the transmission should not be interrupted until the end of the message, which is marked by the  code 'ffff`. Note:  The Commission also has an automatic telex answering service (No 21791) and an automatic fax  answering service (No 296  10  97) providing daily data concerning calculation of the conversion  rates applicable for the purposes of the common agricultural policy.   (1)  Council Regulation (EEC) No 3180/78 of 18 December 1978 (OJ No L 379, 30. 12.  1978, p. 1), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1971/89 (OJ No L 189, 4. 7. 1989, p. 1). Council Decision 80/1184/EEC of 18 December 1980 (Convention of Lomé) (OJ No L 349, 23.  12.  1980,   p.  34). Commission Decision No 3334/80/ECSC of 19 December 1980 (OJ No L 349, 23. 12. 1980, p. 27). Financial Regulation of 16 December 1980 concerning the general budget of the European Communities  (OJ No L 345, 20. 12. 1980, p. 23). Council Regulation (EEC) No 3308/80 of 16 December 1980 (OJ No L 345, 20. 12. 1980, p.  1). Decision of the Council of Governors of the European Investment Bank of 13 May 1981 (OJ No L  311,  30. 10. 1981, p. 1).  (2) The monthly average of ecu exchange rates will be published at the end of each month.