Did you know... that the European Union's "Television Without Frontiers" directive ensures free-to-air TV coverage of events of "major importance for society", such as the Epsom Derby and the Vienna Opera Ball?

This is a list of events designated as being of "major importance for society" by various member states of the European Union under the provisions of Article 3j(1) of the the Audiovisual Media Services Directive.[1] Designated events are required to be broadcast in the relevant country on free-to-air television, either whole or in part, either live or deferred. The relevant section was introduced as Article 3a(1) the 1989 Television without Frontiers Directive by a 1997 amendment,[2] and was renumbered in December 2007 when the Directive was renamed. The section reads as follows:

Each Member State may take measures in accordance with Community law to ensure that broadcasters under its jurisdiction do not broadcast on an exclusive basis events which are regarded by that Member State as being of major importance for society in such a way as to deprive a substantial proportion of the public in that Member State of the possibility of following such events by live coverage or deferred coverage on free television. If it does so, the Member State concerned shall draw up a list of designated events, national or non-national, which it considers to be of major importance for society. It shall do so in a clear and transparent manner in due time. In so doing the Member State concerned shall also determine whether these events should be available by whole or partial live coverage, or where necessary or appropriate for objective reasons in the public interest, whole or partial deferred coverage.

Most of the designated events are sports events, but a few are music-related.

List edit

Country — region Sport/activity Event Notes
Austria[3] multi-sport Olympic Games (Summer and Winter)  
Austria football (association) FIFA World Cup(Austrian team, opening finals tournament match, semi-finals, final)  
Austria football (association) UEFA European Championships (Austrian team, opening finals tournament match, semi-finals, final)  
Austria football (association) Austrian Cup final  
Austria skiing (alpine) FIS Alpine World Ski Championships  
Austria skiing (nordic) FIS Nordic World Ski Championships  
Austria music (classical) Vienna New Year's Concert  
Austria music (classical) Vienna Opera Ball  
Belgium[4] multi-sport Olympic Games (Summer) live excerpts
Belgium football (association) Belgian Cup Final live and in full
Belgium football (association) Belgium national team all official matches live and in full
Belgium football (association) FIFA World Cup finals tournament live and in full
Belgium football (association) UEFA European Championships final live and in full
Belgium football (association) UEFA Champions League, matches involving Belgian clubs live and in full
Belgium football (association) UEFA Cup, matches involving Belgian clubs live and in full
Belgium cycling (road race) Tour de France live excerpts
Belgium cycling (road race) Liège-Bastogne-Liège live excerpts
Belgium cycling (road race) Amstel Gold Race  
Belgium cycling (road race) Tour of Flanders live excerpts
Belgium cycling (road race) Paris-Roubaix live excerpts
Belgium cycling (road race) Milan-Sanremo live excerpts
Belgium cycling (road race) Belgian Road Cycling Championships - Men's live excerpts
Belgium cycling (road race) UCI Road World Championships - Men's live excerpts
Belgium athletics Memorial Van Damme live and in full
Belgium motor racing Belgian Grand Prix live and in full
Belgium tennis French Open quarter-finals, semi-finals and final involving a Belgian player live and in full
Belgium tennis Wimbledon, quarter finals, semi-finals and final involving a Belgian player live and in full
Belgium tennis Davis Cup quarter-finals, semi-finals and final involving the Belgian team live and in full
Belgium tennis Fed Cup quarter-finals, semi-finals and final involving the Belgian team live and in full
Belgium music (classical) Queen Elisabeth Music Competition final live and in full
BelgiumFrench Community multi-sport Olympic Games (Winter) live excerpts
BelgiumFrench Community cycling (road race) La Flèche Wallonne live and in full
BelgiumFrench Community athletics IAAF World Championships, where Belgian athletes are taking part live excerpts
BelgiumFlemish Community football (association) UEFA Champions League final and semi-final live and in full
BelgiumFlemish Community football (association) UEFA Cup final and semi-final live and in full
BelgiumFlemish Community cycling (cyclo-cross) UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, Men live and in full
BelgiumFlemish Community cycling (cyclo-cross) Belgian Cyclocross Championships live and in full
BelgiumFlemish Community tennis Australian Open quarter-finals, semi-finals and final involving a Belgian player live and in full
BelgiumFlemish Community tennis US Open, quarter finals, semi-finals and final involving a Belgian player live and in full
BelgiumFlemish Community cycling (road race) Paris-Tours live excerpts
BelgiumFlemish Community cycling (road race) Tour of Lombardy live excerpts
Denmark[5] multi-sport Olympic Games (Summer and Winter) rescinded in 2002[6]
Denmark football (association) FIFA World Cup (Danish team including qualifying; semi-finals, final) rescinded in 2002[6]
Denmark football (association) UEFA European Championships (Danish team including qualifying; semi-finals, final) rescinded in 2002[6]
Denmark handball (team) IHF World men's championships (Danish team including qualifying; semi-finals, final) rescinded in 2002[6]
Denmark handball (team) IHF World women's championships (Danish team including qualifying; semi-finals, final) rescinded in 2002[6]
Denmark handball (team) EHF European men's championships (Danish team including qualifying; semi-finals, final) rescinded in 2002[6]
Denmark handball (team) EHF European women's championships (Danish team including qualifying; semi-finals, final) rescinded in 2002[6]
Finland[7] multi-sport Olympic Games (Summer and Winter)  
Finland football (association) FIFA World Cup (Finnish team, opening finals tournament match, quarter-finals, semi-finals, final) live and in full
Finland football (association) UEFA European Championships (Finnish team, opening finals tournament match, quarter-finals, semi-finals, final)  
Finland ice hockey IIHF World Championships (Finnish team, opening match, semi-finals, final) live and in full
Finland ice hockey IIHF World Championships (other matches)  
Finland skiing (nordic) FIS Nordic World Ski Championships  
Finland athletics IAAF World Championships  
Finland athletics EAA European Championships  
France[8] multi-sport Olympic Games (Summer and Winter) representative highlights of diverse events permitted
France football (association) French national team all official matches  
France football (association) FIFA World Cup finals tournament (opening match, semi-finals, final)  
France football (association) UEFA European Championships (semi-finals, final)  
France football (association) UEFA Cup final involving a French club  
France football (association) UEFA Champions League final  
France football (association) French Cup Final  
France rugby union Six Nations Championship  
France rugby union Rugby World Cup semi-finals, final  
France rugby union French Rugby Championship final;  
France rugby union Heineken Cup final, involving a French club  
France tennis French Open final of the men’s and women’s singles  
France tennis Davis Cup semi-finals and final involving the French team  
France tennis Fed Cup semi-finals and final involving the French team  
France motor racing French Grand Prix  
France cycling (road race) Tour de France highlights permitted
France cycling (road race) Paris-Roubaix  
France basketball FIBA World Championship, (French team games)  
France basketball FIBA World Championship for Women, (French team games)  
France basketball Eurobasket finals tournament, (French team games)  
France basketball Eurobasket Women finals tournament, (French team games)  
France handball (team) IHF World men's championships (French team)  
France handball (team) IHF World women's championships (French team)  
France handball (team) EHF European men's championships (French team)  
France handball (team) EHF European women's championships (French team)  
France athletics IAAF World Championships representative highlights of diverse events permitted
Germany[9] multi-sport Olympic Games (Summer and Winter)  
Germany football (association) FIFA World Cup finals tournament (opening match, semi-finals, final)  
Germany football (association) UEFA European Championships finals tournament (opening match, semi-finals, final)  
Germany football (association) German Cup semi-finals and final  
Germany football (association) German national team all official matches  
Germany football (association) UEFA Champions League final involving a German club  
Germany football (association) UEFA Cup final involving a German club  
Ireland[10] multi-sport Olympic Games (Summer) live
Ireland gaelic football All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final live
Ireland hurling All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final live
Ireland football (association) FIFA World Cup (Republic of Ireland team including qualifying; opening finals match, semi-finals, final) live
Ireland football (association) UEFA European Championships (Republic of Ireland team including qualifying; opening finals match, semi-finals, final) live
Ireland rugby union Rugby World Cup finals tournament (Ireland team matches) live
Ireland horse racing Irish Grand National live
Ireland horse racing Irish Derby live
Ireland show jumping The Nations Cup at the Dublin Horse Show live
Ireland rugby union Six Nations Championship (Ireland team matches) deferred
Italy[11] multi-sport Olympic Games (Summer and Winter)  
Italy football (association) FIFA World Cup (final) full live coverage required
Italy football (association) UEFA European Championships (final) full live coverage required
Italy football (association) Italian national team all competitive matches  
Italy football (association) UEFA Champions League final and semi-final involving an Italian club  
Italy football (association) UEFA Cup final and semi-final involving an Italian club  
Italy cycling (road race) Giro d'Italia  
Italy motor racing Italian Grand Prix  
Italy music (popular) San Remo Italian music festival  
United Kingdom[3] multi-sport Olympic Games (Summer and Winter) A: full live coverage
United Kingdom football (association) FIFA World Cup finals tournament A: full live coverage
United Kingdom football (association) FA Cup Final A: full live coverage
United KingdomScotland football (association) Scottish Cup final A: full live coverage
United Kingdom horse racing Grand National A: full live coverage
United Kingdom horse racing Epsom Derby A: full live coverage
United Kingdom tennis Wimbledon final matches A: full live coverage
United Kingdom football (association) UEFA European Championships finals tournament A: full live coverage. Subject to a 2008 legal challenge by UEFA[12]
United Kingdom rugby league Rugby League Challenge Cup final A: full live coverage
United Kingdom rugby union Rugby World Cup final A: full live coverage
United Kingdom cricket Test matches played in England B: Only delayed highlights protected
United Kingdom tennis Wimbledon non-final matches B: Only delayed highlights protected
United Kingdom rugby union Rugby World Cup finals tournament (pre-final) B: Only delayed highlights protected
United Kingdom rugby union Six Nations Championship matches involving Home Nations’ teams (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland) B: Only delayed highlights protected
United Kingdom multi-sport Commonwealth Games B: Only delayed highlights protected
United Kingdom athletics IAAF World Championships B: Only delayed highlights protected
United Kingdom cricket Cricket World Cup finals tournament; final, semi-finals and matches involving Home Nations’ teams (England, Scotland, and Ireland) B: Only delayed highlights protected
United Kingdom golf Ryder Cup B: Only delayed highlights protected
United Kingdom golf The Open Championship B: Only delayed highlights protected

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Directive 2007/65/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2007". EUR-Lex. 2007-11-19. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
  2. ^ "Directive 97/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 1997 amending Council Directive 89/552/EEC". Official Journal of the European Union (L 202). EUR-Lex: pp.60-70. 1997-07-30. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  3. ^ a b "COMMISSION DECISION of 25 June 2007 (2007/477/EC)" (PDF). Official Journal of the European Union. L180. EUR-Lex: pp.15–16. 2007-07-10. Retrieved 2008-07-22. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help) Cite error: The named reference "uk_judg" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  4. ^ "COMMISSION DECISION of 25 June 2007 (2007/479/EC)" (PDF). Official Journal of the European Union. L180. EUR-Lex: pp.27–28. 2007-07-10. Retrieved 2008-07-22. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  5. ^ "Publication pursuant to Article 3(a)(2) of Council Directive 89/552/EC (1999/C 14/05)" (PDF). Official Journal of the European Union. C14. EUR-Lex: p.6. 1999-01-19. Retrieved 2008-07-22. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Revocation of the Danish Order on the use of TV rights to events of major importance to society (2002/C 45/05)" (PDF). Official Journal of the European Communities. 45. EUR-Lex: p.7. 2002-02-19. Retrieved 2008-07-23. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  7. ^ "COMMISSION DECISION of 25 June 2007 (2007/481/EC)" (PDF). Official Journal of the European Union. L180. EUR-Lex: p.40. 2007-07-10. Retrieved 2008-07-22. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  8. ^ "COMMISSION DECISION of 25 June 2007 (2007/480/EC)" (PDF). Official Journal of the European Union. L180. EUR-Lex: p.36. 2007-07-10. Retrieved 2008-07-22. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  9. ^ "COMMISSION DECISION of 25 June 2007 (2007/476/EC)" (PDF). Official Journal of the European Union. L180. EUR-Lex: p.10. 2007-07-10. Retrieved 2008-07-22. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  10. ^ "COMMISSION DECISION of 25 June 2007 (2007/478/EC)" (PDF). Official Journal of the European Union. L180. EUR-Lex: p.23. 2007-07-10. Retrieved 2008-07-22. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  11. ^ "COMMISSION DECISION of 25 June 2007 (2007/475/EC)" (PDF). Official Journal of the European Union. L180. EUR-Lex: p.7. 2007-07-10. Retrieved 2008-07-22. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  12. ^ Wilson, Bill (2008-06-06). "Uefa eyes change to free TV football". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-07-23.

External links edit

Category:Cultural lists Category:Culture by nationality Category:Sport and the European Union Category:Sports television