Commission seeks input on evaluation of State aid rules for public service broadcasting

The European Commission has launched a call for evidence and a public consultation to seek input on the evaluation of the 2009 Broadcasting Communication. This Communication sets out State aid rules for public service broadcasting. The goal of the initiative is to collect views and experiences from stakeholders on how the Broadcasting Communication has worked since its last revision in 2009 and whether it continues to meet its objectives. The Commission is also seeking to identify any challenges stakeholders may have encountered in the application or interpretation of the rules.

The Commission encourages broad participation from all stakeholders and the general public. Any interested citizen, business, or organisation can contribute by replying to the general public consultation questionnaire, available here.

Alongside the general public consultation, the Commission is also launching an expert consultation. The expert consultation is mostly addressed to stakeholders with specific expertise and experience in the public service broadcasting sector, such as market participants, public authorities and academics. The expert consultation questionnaire is available here.

The deadline to reply to both questionnaires is 14 January 2026.

Next steps

Once the consultation period concludes, the Commission will analyse the responses and publish a summary on the Commission's ‘Have Your Say' portal. The Commission will also publish the contributions in the language in which they were submitted.

Based on the consultations' results and internal analysis, the Commission will publish a Staff Working Document summarising the evaluation's main findings.

Background

The Broadcasting Communication sets out the legal framework governing public funding of public service broadcasting under EU State aid rules. To comply with State aid rules, it requires that the financing of public service broadcasting is transparent, proportionate and subject to effective supervision mechanisms.

The Broadcasting Communication was last reviewed in 2009. Since then, there have been important technological and market developments, as well as changes in EU regulation and case law of the Union Courts. Moreover, the Commission has handled several cases and adopted several decisions concerning public service broadcasting. These developments have prompted the Commission to launch an evaluation of the Broadcasting Communication.