PART 3U.K.Amendments of Communications Act 2003
18. The Communications Act 2003 is amended as follows.U.K.
Commencement Information
I1Sch. 1 para. 18 in force at 31.12.2020 on IP completion day (in accordance with 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)), see reg. 1(2)
19.—(1) Section 75 (conditional access systems and access to digital services) is amended as follows.U.K.
(2) In subsection (2), in paragraph (b)—
(a)omit “from time to time”;
F1(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F2(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Textual Amendments
F1Sch. 1 para. 19(2)(b) omitted (21.12.2020) by virtue of The Electronic Communications and Wireless Telegraphy (Amendment) (European Electronic Communications Code and EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1419), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 3
F2Sch. 1 para. 19(3) omitted (21.12.2020) by virtue of The Electronic Communications and Wireless Telegraphy (Amendment) (European Electronic Communications Code and EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1419), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 3
Commencement Information
I2Sch. 1 para. 19 in force at 31.12.2020 on IP completion day (in accordance with 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)), see reg. 1(2)
20.—(1) Section 211 (regulation of independent television services) is amended as follows.U.K.
(2) In subsection (2), for paragraphs (b) and (c) substitute—
“(b)television licensable content services that meet the appropriate condition in subsection (4);
(c)digital television programme services that—
(i)can be accessed by means of a regulated electronic programme guide and are not exempt foreign services, or
(ii)cannot be accessed by means of a regulated electronic programme guide but are provided by a person who is within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom for the purposes of the European Convention on Transfrontier Television and included in broadcasts to which that Convention applies.”.
(3) In subsection (3), for paragraph (b) substitute—
“(b)digital additional television services that meet the appropriate condition in subsection (4);”.
(4) After that subsection insert—
“(4) For the purposes of subsections (2)(b) and (3)(b) “the appropriate condition” is—
(a)if or to the extent that the service does not consist of an electronic programme guide, that—
(i)the service can be accessed by means of a regulated electronic programme guide and is not an exempt foreign service, or
(ii)the service cannot be accessed by means of a regulated electronic programme guide but is provided by a person who is within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom for the purposes of the European Convention on Transfrontier Television and included in broadcasts to which that Convention applies;
(b)if or to the extent that the service consists of an electronic programme guide, that the electronic programme guide is a regulated electronic programme guide.
(5) In this section—
(a)“electronic programme guide” has the meaning given by section 310(8),
(b)“regulated electronic programme guide” has the meaning given by section 211A, and
(c)“exempt foreign service” has the meaning given by section 211B.”.
Commencement Information
I3Sch. 1 para. 20 in force at 31.12.2020 on IP completion day (in accordance with 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)), see reg. 1(2)
21. After section 211 insert—U.K.
“211A. Regulated electronic programme guides
(1) This section has effect for the interpretation of section 211.
(2) “Regulated electronic programme guide” means an electronic programme guide which—
(a)is provided, under a licence to provide television licensable content services or digital additional television services, by a person who was providing an electronic programme guide under that licence immediately before [F3IP completion day],
(b)is provided by a person designated by the Secretary of State by regulations or by a person having a prescribed connection with a person so designated, or
(c)falls within a prescribed description.
(3) In subsection (2) “prescribed” means prescribed by the regulations.
(4) Regulations under subsection (2)(b) may only designate a person who, at the time when the regulations are made—
(a)is providing an electronic programme guide that is used by members of the public in the United Kingdom as a facility for obtaining access to television programme services, or
(b)is providing, or has informed OFCOM of an intention to provide, an electronic programme guide with a view to its use by members of the public in the United Kingdom as such a facility.
(5) The electronic programme guides that are to be taken for the purposes of this section to be used by members of the public include any electronic programme guide that—
(a)is used, or available for use, only by persons who subscribe to the service (whether for a period or in relation to a particular occasion) or who otherwise request its provision, but
(b)is a service the facility of subscribing to which, or of otherwise requesting its provision, is offered or made available to members of the public.
(6) Before making regulations under subsection (2), the Secretary of State must consult OFCOM.
(7) In this section “electronic programme guide” has the meaning given by section 310(8).
211B. Exempt foreign services
(1) In section 211 “exempt foreign service” means—
(a)a service provided by a person who is for the purposes of the European Convention on Transfrontier Television within the jurisdiction of a CTT State other than the United Kingdom, or
(b)any of the following services—
(i)the services known as RTÉ1 and RTÉ2 provided by Raidió Teilifís Éireann, and
(ii)the service known as TG4 provided by Teilifís na Gaeilge.
(2) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend subsection (1)(b)—
(a)by adding a reference to a service appearing to the Secretary of State to be a public service channel established in Ireland,
(b)by amending the description of a service for the time being specified in that provision, or
(c)by omitting the reference to a service for the time being specified in that provision.
(3) In this section “CTT State” means a State which is for the time being a party to the European Convention on Transfrontier Television.”.
Textual Amendments
F3Words in Sch. 1 para. 21 substituted (31.12.2020 immediately before IP completion day) by The Audiovisual Media Services (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1536), regs. 2, 5(5)
Commencement Information
I4Sch. 1 para. 21 in force at 31.12.2020 on IP completion day (in accordance with 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)), see reg. 1(2)
22. In section 235 (licensing of television licensable content services), after subsection (7) M1 insert—U.K.
“(8) A licence to provide a television licensable content service which authorises the provision of an electronic programme guide (“the guide”) must also include such conditions as OFCOM consider appropriate for ensuring that, at any time when the guide is a regulated electronic programme guide as defined by section 211A, the only television programme services that are listed or promoted by, or which can be accessed through, the guide are television programme services that—
(a)are provided by or under a licence under this Part, or
(b)do not fall, in pursuance of section 211(1) of the Communications Act 2003, to be regulated by OFCOM.”.
Commencement Information
I5Sch. 1 para. 22 in force at 31.12.2020 on IP completion day (in accordance with 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)), see reg. 1(2)
Marginal Citations
M1Subsection (7) was inserted by S.I. 2006/2131.
23. In section 245 (regulation of independent radio services), in subsection (5)(c), for “another EEA State” substitute “ an EEA State ”.U.K.
Commencement Information
I6Sch. 1 para. 23 in force at 31.12.2020 on IP completion day (in accordance with 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)), see reg. 1(2)
24. In section 319 (OFCOM's standards code), in subsection (2), after paragraph (h) insert—U.K.
“(ha)that the requirements of any EU directives, as they had effect immediately before [F4IP completion day], with respect to advertising included in television and radio services are complied with;”.
Textual Amendments
F4Words in Sch. 1 para. 24 substituted (31.12.2020 immediately before IP completion day) by The Audiovisual Media Services (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1536), regs. 2, 5(6)
Commencement Information
I7Sch. 1 para. 24 in force at 31.12.2020 on IP completion day (in accordance with 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)), see reg. 1(2)
25. In section 329 (proscription orders) M2, in subsection (7), in paragraph (b)(i), for “under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom for the purposes of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive” substitute “ within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom for the purposes of the European Convention on Transfrontier Television ”.U.K.
Commencement Information
I8Sch. 1 para. 25 in force at 31.12.2020 on IP completion day (in accordance with 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)), see reg. 1(2)
Marginal Citations
M2Subsection (7)(b)(i) was amended by S.I. 2009/2979.
26. In section 335 (conditions securing compliance with international obligations), after subsection (2) insert—U.K.
“(2A) The reference in subsection (2) to the international obligations of the United Kingdom includes a reference to Articles 16(1) and (2), 17 and 18 of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, together with the interpretative provisions in Article 1 of that Directive so far as relevant to those Articles.
(2B) The provisions of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive mentioned in subsection (2A) are to be read for the purposes of this section as if—
(b)in Articles 16(1) and (2) and 17, references to the Member States were references to the United Kingdom, and
(b)in Article 16(2), the second subparagraph were omitted.”.
Commencement Information
I9Sch. 1 para. 26 in force at 31.12.2020 on IP completion day (in accordance with 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)), see reg. 1(2)
27. For section 335A M3 and the heading immediately before it substitute—U.K.
“335A. Co-operation with other parties to European Convention on Transfrontier Television
OFCOM may do any of the things that paragraph 3 of Article 19 of the European Convention on Transfrontier Television requires to be done by an authority designated under paragraph 2 of that Article.”.
Commencement Information
I10Sch. 1 para. 27 in force at 31.12.2020 on IP completion day (in accordance with 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)), see reg. 1(2)
Marginal Citations
M3Section 335A was inserted by S.I. 2009/2979 and amended by S.I. 2010/1883.
28. In section 362 (interpretation of Part 3), in subsection (1)—U.K.
(a)in the definition beginning “EEA State”M4, omit the words from “and “another” to the end;
(b)after the definition beginning “EEA State” insert—
““the European Convention on Transfrontier Television” means the Council of Europe Convention on Transfrontier Television which was opened for signature at Strasbourg on 5th May 1989, as amended by the Protocol which was opened for signature at Strasbourg on 1st October 1998;”.
Commencement Information
I11Sch. 1 para. 28 in force at 31.12.2020 on IP completion day (in accordance with 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)), see reg. 1(2)
Marginal Citations
M4The definitions of “EEA State” and “another EEA State” were substituted by S.I. 2013/2217.
29. In section 368A (meaning of “on-demand programme service”) M5, in subsection (1)—U.K.
(a)at the end of paragraph (d), omit “and”;
(b)for paragraph (e) substitute—
“(e)that person's head office is in the United Kingdom, and
(f)editorial decisions about the service are taken in the United Kingdom.”.
Commencement Information
I12Sch. 1 para. 29 in force at 31.12.2020 on IP completion day (in accordance with 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)), see reg. 1(2)
Marginal Citations
M5Section 368A was inserted by S.I. 2009/2979.
30. In section 368O (power to demand information) M6, omit subsection (3).U.K.
Commencement Information
I13Sch. 1 para. 30 in force at 31.12.2020 on IP completion day (in accordance with 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)), see reg. 1(2)
Marginal Citations
M6Section 368O was inserted by S.I. 2009/2979.
31. In Schedule 11A M7 (restrictions on product placement), in paragraph 6(3)(b), for the words from “which is provided” to the end substitute “ that falls within section 211(2) ”.U.K.
Commencement Information
I14Sch. 1 para. 31 in force at 31.12.2020 on IP completion day (in accordance with 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)), see reg. 1(2)
Marginal Citations
M7Schedule 11A was inserted by S.I. 2010/831.