Decision of April 25, 2024 on the conditions for the production, programming and diffusion of election campaign broadcasts for the European elections on June 8 and 9, 2024

L'Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuel et numérique ;

Having regard to the electoral code ;

Having regard to Act no. 77-729 of July 7, 1977, as amended, relating to the election of representatives to Parliament
Parliament ;

Having regard to Act no. 86-1067 of September 30, 1986, as amended, on freedom of communication,
notably article 16 ;

Having regard to Decree no. 79-160 of February 28, 1979, amended, enforcing Law no. 77-729 of July 7, 1977, on the election of representatives to the European Parliament;

Having regard to decree no. 2024-226 of March 12, 2024 convening voters for the election of representatives to the European Parliament
representatives to the European Parliament;

After browsing the presidents of the national radio broadcasting and television companies;

After deliberation,

Decides:

Art.^1. -Each list entitled to take part in the campaign shall inform the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication, no later than Tuesday May 21, 2024, of the name of the person or persons it mandates to carry out on its behalf the various formalities provided for in the present decision.

Art. 2 - The French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication will draw lots at its headquarters, in the presence of representatives duly authorized by the lists, no later than May 23, 2024, to determine the dates and running order of election campaign broadcasts.

The results of the draw will be published on the website of the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication and in the Journal officiel de la République française.

Art. 3 - The persons involved in the production and diffusion of the shows are bound by strict confidentiality with regard to the activities mentioned in the present decision.

Art. 4 - Any difficulties arising from the interpretation or application of the present decision fall within the competence of the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication.

On a proposal from France Télévisions, the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication shall appoint the coordinator of production and diffusion operations for election campaign broadcasts, as well as the person summoned to deputise for him/her in his/her absence.

Title ^I PRODUCTION

Chapter ^I General

Art. 5 - France Télévisions is responsible for the production of official campaign broadcasts and for coordinating all operations related to this production.

The coordinator provides the lists with a file approved by the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication, setting out the technical specifications for the production of these broadcasts.

Art. 6. - With a view to breaking down the one-and-a-half-hour broadcasting time provided for in IV of article 19 of the aforementioned law of July 7, 1977 and in accordance with the 3rd paragraph of VI of the same article 19 and II of article 8 of the aforementioned decree of February 28, 1979, each political party or grouping shall make known the list of candidates it supports to the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication, by going paperless, no later than Wednesday May 22, 2024 at 6 p.m., Paris time, at the following address.

Art. 7 - France Télévisions will provide each list entitled to take part in the election campaign with identical production means. The dates and times of production operations are set by the coordinator. They take into account the order of diffusion resulting from the drawing of lots. They must be respected by the lists.

Art. 8 - During broadcasts, speakers may express themselves freely.

They may not, however, in accordance with the laws in force :

• undermine public order or the safety of persons or property ;
• make statements that are prohibited and punishable by law, or that offend human dignity or the honor and consideration of others;
• infringe on secrets protected by law;
• advertising, as defined by regulations on advertising and sponsorship;
• summon funds.

They may not :

• use the programs made available for purposes other than those for which access to the audiovisual campaign has been made provision for;
• use any means of expression whose purpose or effect is to deride other lists, political parties or groupings, their representatives or candidates;
• appear within the precincts of official buildings of the State, local authorities or their groupings, as well as within the precincts of any other public institution or of the European Union, identifiable as such;
• show elements, places or buildings likely to constitute a commercial or advertising reference;
• display any national or European emblem;
• use the national anthem, the European anthem, the official anthem of overseas France or any official national or territorial anthem of a foreign country;
• use visual or audio documents featuring personalities from French public life without the written consent of these personalities or their rights holders.

Art. 9 - Broadcasts must also comply with the following rules:

• no free telephone number may be summoned to the public's attention, pursuant to Article L. 50-1 of the French Electoral Code;
• when musical or other works are used, it is the responsibility of the list or its representatives to ensure that the relevant rights are respected;
• when persons appear in a recognizable manner, it is the responsibility of the list or its representatives to ensure that the relevant rights are respected.

Art. 10 - A representative of the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication checks that election campaign broadcasts comply with the provisions of the present decision.

Art. 11 - Where a list does not use all the broadcasting time allocated to it during its broadcast
allocated to it, it may neither obtain the transfer of the remainder to another of its broadcasts, nor transfer this remainder to another list.
list.

Art. 12 - If a list decides not to use all or part of the broadcasting time allocated to it, the broadcasts of the other lists, scheduled for the same day, are brought forward so that they immediately follow the previous broadcast or the opening credits of the election campaign broadcasts.

Art. 13 - A list may use all or part of the recording of a previous broadcast in a new broadcast.
subsequent broadcast.

Art. 14 - In accordance with VI of article 19 of the above-mentioned law of July 7, 1977 and with III of article 8 of the above-mentioned decree of February 28, 1979, the lists may add together the duration of the broadcasts allocated to them with a view to producing one or more joint broadcasts. Requests must be sent by the candidates heading the list to the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication by paperless means, no later than Wednesday May 22, 2024 at 6pm Paris time, to the following address.

Chapter II TELEVISION broadcasts

Section I Recording

Art. 15 - Televised broadcasts may be made up in whole or in part as the lists wish:

1. As of elements produced with means provided by the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication.

These elements can be of three kinds:

• elements produced in locations chosen by the lists ;
• elements produced in a studio made available to the lists;
• elements produced using a computer graphics station.

2. As of the video or sound documents mentioned in article 24.

By May 21, 2024 at the latest, each list must inform the coordinator of the proportion of broadcasting time that it
its own means.

Sub-section 1 Elements produced using the human and technical means provided

Art. 16 - A crew and technical means (video, sound, lighting) are made available for filming elements in locations chosen by the lists.

These means are detailed in the technical file mentioned in article 5. They are exclusive of the use of
any other means.

Art. 17 - For location shoots, the technical crew must be available for four hours per program. The time allotted to preparation, recording and editing is four hours for each program to be produced, with a minimum of two hours for editing.

Transport time of up to two hours (round trip) for filming in Paris and the Paris region, and six hours (round trip) for filming in the regions, is added to the technical availability time. Any journeys from one location to another during the same shoot are deducted from the technical crew's stay.

Art. 18 - Recording locations are chosen by the lists in mainland France in accordance with the provisions of article 8. They are approved by the coordinator, who may demand that the lists modify them if the conditions of production are incompatible with the technical constraints of filming the program, the duration of availability or the date of diffusion.

Lists must obtain authorization for filming on public roads. Any costs arising from the use of
The lists are responsible for any costs arising from the provision or fitting-out of filming locations.

Art. 19 - Lists wishing to do so may use a studio equipped with the means detailed in the technical file mentioned in article 5. These means are exclusive of the use of any other means.

Art. 20 - For studio shoots, the studio and its technical crew are made available for two hours for the shooting of one program.

Art. 21 - The director is chosen by the list. The French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication is informed of this choice.

Art. 22. - Programs must be filmed no later than seventy-two hours before their diffusion.

Art. 23. - At the end of each shoot, a representative of the list signs a technical acceptance document.
of the shoot. Final editing of programs is carried out under the conditions and within the timeframe described in article 29.

Subsection 2 Use of videographic documents

Art. 24 - Lists may produce videographic material using their own means.

These videographic documents may represent 100% of the duration allocated to each list. The costs of these videographic documents must be included in the campaign accounts of the lists concerned.

The following costs must also be deducted :

• any post-production processing of video sequences produced by the list;
• the overlay on part of the screen, in a broadcast produced using the technical means made available by the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication, of video sequences produced by the list using its own means.

These sequences are counted for their full duration, regardless of the amount of space they occupy on the screen.

Exclusively sound documents and still images are not included in the above count.
mentioned above.

Art. 25. - Video and sound documents must comply with the following technical specifications
detailed in the file mentioned in article 5.

Videographic or sound documents must be submitted no later than 6 p.m. the day before editing or forty-eight hours before diffusion.

Section 2 Provision of computer graphics means

Art. 26. - Two computer graphics stations are made available to the lists. The technical means and conditions of use are specified in the technical file mentioned in article 5.

Art. 27. - A computer graphics station is made available to the lists for up to one hour for each broadcast.

Lists intending to use the infographic station shall notify the coordinator twenty-four hours before the date on which the cell is to be used.

Lists may also provide the coordinator with fixed documents, which may be go paperless. These must comply with the provisions of Articles 8 and 9.

Section 3 Post-production of programs

Art. 28. - Eight post-production units are assigned to program editing. The means made available are specified in the technical file mentioned in article 5.

Art. 29. - The time allowed for broadcasting and editing each program is four hours.

Art. 30. - At the end of the period referred to in article 29, the corresponding program is deemed to have been completed. The list representative signs the show order on the spot. Failing this, the list is deemed to have renounced the diffusion of its program. A representative of the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication validates the diffusion order.

An audio copy of radio broadcasts and a video copy of recorded television broadcasts are ready for broadcast.
are given to the signatory of the diffusion order the day after the show.

Art. 31. - Programmes shown by France Télévisions and France 24 are fully subtitled for the deaf or hard of hearing. Their diffusion is also accompanied by an on-screen translation in sign language.

France Télévisions uses an audiodescription process to make programs shown on France 2 and France 3 accessible to the blind and partially sighted.

The technical details of subtitling, audio description and sign language translation are described in the file mentioned in article 5.

Subtitling, audio description and, where appropriate, translation into sign language must be completed by 6 p.m. at the latest the day before the program is due to be diffused.

Section 4 Putting election campaign broadcasts on line

Art. 32. - Within twenty-four hours of the broadcast of the programs, France Télévisions shall place them online on its website, after inserting the sign language translation.

Within twenty-four hours of the broadcasts being shown on France 24, France Médias Monde will put the election campaign broadcasts translated into sign language on line on the channel's website.

Chapter III RADIO BROADCASTS

Section 1 Production and post-production

Art. 33. - Lists may :

• either record all or part of their radio broadcasts in a studio provided on the post-production premises. They have forty-five minutes for recording and thirty minutes for editing and mixing each program;
• or record all or part of their radio programs during filming using the means provided. In this case, they must inform the coordinator when planning the shooting date. They then have 30 minutes for final editing of each program;
• or take over the sound of the television programs. In this case, the soundtracks are edited to avoid on-air silences;
• or produce, at their own expense, all or part of their radio programs on media that comply with the technical specifications detailed in the file mentioned in article 5.

Final editing of a radio program must be completed by 6 p.m. the day before it is to be shown. The media mentioned in the previous paragraph must be sent to Radio France within the same deadline.

A consultant director is made available to the lists for the duration of the editing time.

Verification, recording and editing operations, which take place on the post-production and editing premises, are carried out under the responsibility of a technician.

Section 2 Putting election campaign broadcasts on line

Art. 34. - Within twenty-four hours of broadcasts being shown on France Inter, Radio France shall post them on the station's website.

Within twenty-four hours of broadcasts being shown on Radio France Internationale, the company France Médias Monde shall put the election campaign broadcasts on line on the station's website.

Chapter IV MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Art. 35. - Appointments for filming, recording, editing and use of the computer graphics station are made by the coordinator referred to in Article 5 in accordance with planning models and taking into account the recording times and locations requested by the lists.

Art. 36. - The lists may be assisted by persons who may not substitute for the personnel responsible for producing the program or for the technical personnel, nor modify the technical conditions of the recording and editing.

A maximum of three such persons have access to the radio access studio and editing unit. Their names and those of program participants must be communicated to the coordinator by the list twenty-four hours before recording.

Art. 37. - Each radio and television broadcast is preceded and followed by announcements. Before the broadcast, the name of the list concerned is indicated. After the broadcast, this name is indicated.

The time required for these announcements is not deducted from the broadcast time allocated to the lists.

On the radio, announcements are read out by a Radio France employee.

Art. 38. - In the event of a technical incident not attributable to the lists, the times stipulated in articles 17, 20, 22, 25, 27, 29 and 32 of the present decision are extended by a period equal to that of the incident.

Art. 39. - Recordings of radio and television election campaign broadcasts shall be deposited with the Institut national de l'audiovisuel by France Télévisions at the end of the campaign.

Title II PROGRAMMING

Art. 40. - Official audiovisual campaign broadcasts are scheduled from Tuesday, May 28 to Thursday, June 6, 2024.

Art. 41. - Election campaign programs are mentioned in the preliminary programs and are the subject of trailers shown at favorable listening times.

CHAPTER ^I PROGRAMMING ON FRANCE TELEVISIONS ANTENNES

Section 1 Television

Art. 42. - Program diffusion times are as follows:

• first diffusion slots :

- on France 2, around 10.10 a.m. ;
- on France 3, at around 12:55 p.m. from Tuesday May 28 to Friday May 31, 2024, then from Monday June 3 to Thursday
June 6, 2024. On Saturday June 1 and Sunday June 2, 2024, the shows are shown at around 9.40 am;
- on Franceinfo: around 1 p.m;
- on overseas France La 1ère television services, at around 7.20 a.m. on Guadeloupe La 1ère, at around 7.35 a.m. on Martinique La 1ère, at around 8.25 a.m. on Guyane La 1ère, at around 8.30 a.m. on Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon La 1ère, at around 10.10 a.m. on Réunion La 1ère, at around 8 a.m. on Mayotte La 1ère, at around 7.25 a.m. on Wallis and Futuna La 1ère, at around 7 a.m. on New Caledonia La 1ère, at around 7.50 a.m. on Polynesia La 1ère ;

• second diffusion slots:

- on France 2, at around 8.40 pm, except Tuesday June 4, at around 10 pm;
- on France 3, at around 10.40 pm, between the first and second part of the evening on Tuesday May 28 and Thursday May 30, then from Saturday June 1 to Sunday June 2, then from Tuesday June 4 to Thursday June 6, 2024. On Wednesday May 29, Friday May 31 and Monday June 3, 2024, shows are diffused at around 11:05 pm;
- on Franceinfo: at around 3:40 pm;
- on overseas France La 1ère network television services, at around 8:05 pm on Guadeloupe La 1ère, at around 7:55 pm on Martinique La 1ère, at around 8:05 pm on Guyane La 1ère, at around 7:15 pm on Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon La 1ère, at around 10 pm on Réunion La 1re, at around 7:50 pm on Mayotte La 1ère, at around 7:45 pm on Wallis and Futuna La 1ère, at around 8 pm on New Caledonia La 1ère, at around 7:30 pm on Polynesia La 1ère ;

• third diffusion slots:

- on France 2, at around 1.40 pm;
- on France 3, at around 4:30 p.m. from Tuesday May 28 to Saturday June 1, 2024 and at around 4:55 p.m. on Sunday June 2, 2024.
From Monday, June 3 to Wednesday, June 5, the shows are diffused at around 5:15 p.m., then on Thursday, June 6, 2024, they are broadcast at around 4:55 p.m.
are shown either at 2:40 p.m. or at 7 p.m. :
- on Franceinfo:, at around 4.45 p.m. ;
- on overseas France La 1ère television services, at around 1.25 p.m. on Guadeloupe La 1ère, at around 1.25 p.m. on Martinique La 1ère, at around 1.15 p.m. on Guyane La 1ère, at around 10.30 p.m. on Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon La 1ère, at around 4.05 p.m. on Réunion La 1ère, at around 12.50 p.m. on Mayotte La 1ère, at around 1 p.m. on Wallis and Futuna La 1ère, at around 1 p.m. on New Caledonia La 1ère, at around 1 p.m. on Polynesia La 1ère.

Section 2 Radio

Art. 43. - Broadcasting times on overseas France La 1re network radio services are as follows:

• first diffusion slots :

- at approximately 8.20 a.m. on Guadeloupe La 1ère, at approximately 8.15 a.m. on Martinique La 1ère, at approximately 9.10 a.m. on Guyane La 1ère, at approximately 7.20 a.m. on Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon La 1ère, at approximately 12.15 p.m. on Réunion La 1ère, at approximately 8.45 a.m. on Mayotte La 1ère, at approximately 7.45 a.m. on Wallis and Futuna La 1ère, at approximately 9 a.m. on New Caledonia La 1ère, at approximately 6.15 a.m. on Polynesia La 1ère;

• second diffusion slots:

- at around 7.03 pm on Guadeloupe La 1ère, at around 6.20 pm on Martinique La 1ère, at around 6.10 pm on Guyane La 1ère, at around 8 pm on Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon La 1ère, at around 7.45 pm on Réunion La 1ère, at around 7.10 pm on Mayotte La 1ère, at around 5.40 pm on Wallis et Futuna La 1ère, at around 8 pm on Nouvelle-Calédonie La 1ère, at around 7.30 pm on Polynésie La 1ère;

• third diffusion slots :

- programs are scheduled for around 2.10 p.m. on Guadeloupe La 1ère, around 2.10 p.m. on Martinique La 1ère, around 2.10 p.m. on Guyane La 1ère, around 1 p.m. on Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon La 1ère, around 3.45 p.m. on Réunion La 1ère, around 2.10 p.m. on Mayotte La 1ère, around 12.45 p.m. on Wallis and Futuna La 1ère, around 1 p.m. on New Caledonia La 1ère, around 12.15 p.m. on Polynesia La 1ère.

Chapter II PROGRAMMING ON SOCIÉTÉ RADIO FRANCE ANTENNES

Art. 44. - The times at which programs are shown on France Inter are as follows:

• first diffusion slot ;

- programs are scheduled for around 2:50 pm;

• second diffusion slot ;

- programs are scheduled for 8:50 pm;

• third diffusion slot ;

- programs are scheduled for around 11:10 p.m., except on Tuesday June 4, when they are scheduled for around 11:45 p.m.

Chapter III PROGRAMMING ON FRANCE MÉDIAS MONDE ANTENNAS

Art. 45. - The times of diffusion of programs on Radio France Internationale are as follows
are as follows:

• first diffusion slot :

- programs are scheduled throughout the worldwide shortwave network, on the same day as in
mainland France, at around 12 p.m. (2 p.m. Paris time);

• second diffusion slot:

- broadcasts are scheduled across the global shortwave network, on the same day as in mainland France.
mainland France at around 7:40 p.m. (9:40 p.m. Paris time);

• third diffusion slot :

- broadcasts are scheduled on the entire global shortwave network, on the same day as in mainland France.
mainland France, at around 5 p.m. (7 p.m. Paris time).

Art. 46. - Diffusion times for France 24 programs are as follows:

• first diffusion slot :

- programs are scheduled for around 10:45 a.m. ;

• second diffusion slot :

- from Tuesday, May 28 to Thursday, May 30 and from Monday, June 3 to Thursday, June 6, 2024, programs are scheduled to air at around 2:45 pm. From Friday, May 31 to Sunday, June 2, 2024, programs are scheduled at around 3:15 pm;

• third diffusion slot :

- broadcasts are scheduled around 4:45 a.m.

Title III DIFFUSION

Art. 47. - The national programming companies France Télévisions, Radio France and France Médias Monde shall ensure that election campaign broadcasts are properly diffused.

Election campaign broadcasts may not be repeated by any other radio or television service.

Art. 48. - In the event of a diffusion incident, the company concerned shall immediately inform the coordinator.
The French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication may decide on partial or total national or regional reruns of campaign broadcasts affected by the diffusion incident.
In the event of an exceptional and major news-related event, the broadcasting of election campaign programmes on the Franceinfo: and France 24 all-news channels may be deferred, subject to the prior agreement of the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication and under the conditions it determines. In the event of absolute urgency, the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication shall be immediately informed of any such postponement and shall deliberate as soon as possible on the new conditions for the diffusion of the broadcasts.

Art. 49. - The provisions of the present decision are applicable in French Polynesia, the Wallis and Futuna Islands and New Caledonia.

Art. 50. - The presidents of the national program companies are each responsible for the execution of the present decision, which will be published in the Journal officiel de la République française.

Done in Paris,

April 25, 2024.

For the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication :

Le président,

R.-O. MAISTRE