The Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) has launched a ‘practical guide’ on the audiovisual media service (AMS) directive that will directly affect the business of over 50% of the European mobile entertainment industry.

The guide helps companies understand the directive and the potential opportunities it will create across the single market. It has been produced in association with international law firm Denton Wilde Sapte.

The new legislation, agreed by the European Parliament last week, will update and replace the existing television without frontiers (TWF) directive which currently provides the regulation framework in the EU for the television and broadcast industry.

Under the directive, current rules for traditional TV will be enforced for mobile multimedia services. This includes mobile television broadcasting (linear) and video on-demand (non-linear) services.

“There are a number of good things to come from the updated directive,” said MEF policy and initiatives director Suhail Bhat.

“Not least it allows member states to encourage self and co-regulation. We are working with the DCMS to develop a co-regulating framework in the UK.”

The practical guide is now available on the MEF website (www.m-e-f.org) and provides practical information on how the directive is set to affect businesses and services.

The AMS directive is expected to be adopted by all member states before the end of 2007. Member states will then have two years to pass legislation bringing the AMS directive into force at a national level.

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