Decision of March 19, 2025 giving formal notice to Eutelsat SA
The French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in particular Article 215 thereof;
Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) no. 269/2014 of March 17, 2014 concerning restrictive measures with regard to actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, in particular Article 2 ;
Having regard to Act no. 86-1067 of September 30, 1986, as amended, on freedom of communication, in particular article 42;
Considering the following:
On the legal manager:
1. Pursuant to the provisions of article 42 of the above-mentioned law of September 30, 1986, the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digitalcommunication may give formal notice to satellite network operators " to show due respect for the obligations imposed by the provisions adopted on the basis of article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union concerning the prohibition on broadcasting the content of audiovisual communication services ".
2. Under the provisions of Article 2 of Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 of March 17, 2014 referred to above and adopted pursuant to Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union: " 1. All funds and economic resources belonging to the natural or legal persons, entities or bodies, or to natural or legal persons, entities or bodies associated with them, listed in Annex I shall be frozen, as shall all funds and economic resources owned, held or controlled by such natural or legal persons, entities or bodies. 2 No funds or economic resources shall be made available, directly or indirectly, to or for the benefit of the natural or legal persons, entities or bodies, or natural or legal persons, entities or bodies associated with them, listed in Annex I. " Among the persons listed in Annex I of the same regulation is JSC National Media Group, described therein as " a media holding company controlling 28 media companies in Russia, including Channel One, Channel 5, REN TV and STS [...] ".
On the diffusion of the "Channel 5" and "STS" television services:
3.The "Channel 5" and "STS " television services are shown on the Eutelsat 36C satellite. It is clear, on the one hand, from the aforementioned provisions of Council Regulation (EU) no. 269/2014 of March 17, 2014 and, on the other hand, from the information gathered by the Authority, that these services are controlled by JSC National Media Group, whose funds and economic resources are frozen in application of these same schemes, which entails a ban on the diffusion of the content of these channels.
4. Consequently, the diffusion of these services is in breach of the provisions concerning the prohibition on the diffusion of the content of audiovisual communication services adopted on the basis of article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
5. Eutelsat SA should therefore be given formal notice to cease broadcasting the television services "Channel 5" and "STS".
After deliberation,
Decides :
Art. 1. - Eutelsat SA is hereby ordered to cease broadcasting the television services "Channel 5" and "STS" within 72 hours of notification of this decision.
Art. 2 - The present decision will be notified to Eutelsat SA and published in the Journal officiel de la République française.
Paris, March 19, 2025.
For the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digitalcommunication :
The Chairman,
M. AJDARI
Decision no. 2025-103 of March 19, 2025 giving formal notice to Eutelsat SA
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