EU declares aid in North Rhine Westphalia illegal

The European Commission has decided that German plans to finance part of the fees commercial broadcasters pay for the transmission of their programs on the digital terrestrial television (DVB-T) network in the German Land of North Rhine-Westphalia are not compatible with the EC state aid rules.
The planned aid violates EC state aid rules. The EC Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes stated: “The transition to digital broadcasting has many advantages for consumers and innovation. However, State support must target specific issues where the market does not provide solutions and must not be discriminatory, in particular between terrestrial, cable and satellite transmission.”
Source: EC press release
Item added: 30th October 2007