Arcom demands cessation of Russian channel broadcasting under European legal sanctions

Arcom has given Eutelsat formal notice to cease broadcasting the Russian channels STS and Kanal 5. These channels are in fact controlled by the Russian company JSC National Media Group, which has had its economic resources frozen in application of the European Union Council regulation of March 17, 2014[1], which entails a ban on their diffusion.

Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, Arcom has, in application of the law of September 30, 1986, stopped the diffusion of several Russian channels, NTV Mir, Rossiya 1, Perviy Kanal and NTV, whose programs devoted to the conflict in Ukraine included incitement to hatred and violence, as well as breaches of honest information.

Arcom has also ensured that the operators concerned comply with the European legal framework in force, in particular as a result of European sanctions regulations targeting Russian media. For example, on March 2, 2022, the Authority put an end to the diffusion of the RT France channel.

With today's decision, Arcom is implementing for the first time the new powers conferred on it in this area by the law of May 21, 2024 aimed at securing and regulating the digital space.

The decision of March 19, 2025 giving formal notice to Eutelsat SA

[1] Regulation on restrictive measures with regard to actions endangering or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.