France: Published Draft Arcom Order on List of Services Classified as Services of General Interest

On 8 February 2024, the French Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication (Arcom) published a draft order containing the list of services classified as being of general interest (SIG). The draft order defines services of general interest under the law of September 30, 1986, encompassing those published by specified organisations and free national television services, along with associated on-demand audiovisual media services. Publishers of such services provide a list to the Authority, including any modifications, for publication and transmission to interface operators. This consultation was conducted within the framework of article 20-7 of the law of September 30, 1986, which provides that services of general interest are understood as services published by specific organisations and by the TV5 channel for the exercise of their public service missions. The draft order was sent to the European Commission, which will have three months to examine them.