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PARALLEL TEXTS
La normativa italiana sulla pubblicità televisiva che prescrive limiti orari di affollamento pubblicitario più bassi per le emittenti televisive a pagamento rispetto a quelli stabiliti per le emittenti televisive in chiaro è, in linea di principio, conforme al diritto dell’Unione
Inglese tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-96_en.htm
Italiano tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-96_it.htm
Data documento: 18-07-2013
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The Italian rule on television advertising, which lays down lower hourly limits for advertising for pay-TV broadcasters than for free-to-air TV broadcasters, is, in principle, compatible with European Union law
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La normativa italiana sulla pubblicità televisiva che prescrive limiti orari di affollamento pubblicitario più bassi per le emittenti televisive a pagamento rispetto a quelli stabiliti per le emittenti televisive in chiaro è, in linea di principio, conforme al diritto dell’Unione
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The principle of proportionality must however be observed
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Il principio di proporzionalità dev’essere tuttavia rispettato
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The Audiovisual Media Services Directive makes television advertising subject to minimum rules and standards, in order to ensure that the interests of consumers as television viewers are protected.
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La direttiva «sui servizi di media audiovisivi» sottopone la pubblicità televisiva a norme minime e criteri finalizzati a garantire la protezione degli interessi dei consumatori, rappresentati dai telespettatori.
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In that regard, it sets a limit of 20% of advertising and teleshopping spots per hour, but leaves the Member States the option of setting more detailed or stricter rules for media service providers under their jurisdiction.
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A tale riguardo, essa prevede un limite del 20% per spot di televendita e pubblicità televisiva per ora d’orologio, ma lascia agli Stati membri la facoltà di richiedere ai fornitori di servizi di media soggetti alla loro giurisdizione di rispettare norme più particolareggiate o più rigorose.
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The Italian legislation provides that the transmission of advertisements by the holder of the general public broadcasting service concession may not exceed 4% of weekly programming time and 12% of each hour.
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La legislazione italiana prevede che la trasmissione di messaggi pubblicitari da parte della concessionaria del servizio pubblico generale radiotelevisivo non può eccedere il 4% dell’orario settimanale di programmazione ed il 12% di ogni ora.
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The transmission of advertising spots by other free-to-air TV broadcasters may not exceed 15% of daily programming time and 18% of each hour, whilst for pay-TV broadcasters, it could not exceed, for 2011, 14% of each hour (in those two cases, any advertising in excess thereof – which, in any event, cannot exceed 2% in any given hour – must be offset by a reduction in the preceding or following hour).
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La trasmissione di spot pubblicitari televisivi da parte delle altre emittenti televisive in chiaro non può eccedere il 15% dell’orario giornaliero di programmazione ed il 18% di ogni ora, mentre per le emittenti televisive a pagamento, non poteva eccedere, per l’anno 2011, il 14% di ogni ora (in questi due casi, ogni eventuale eccedenza, comunque non superiore al 2% nel corso di un’ora, deve essere recuperata nell’ora antecedente o successiva).
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On 5 March 2011, between 21.00 and 22.00, the pay-TV station Sky Sport 1, edited by Sky Italia, broadcast 24 television advertising spots, for a total duration of 10 minutes and 4 seconds, which is an hourly percentage of 16.78%, thereby exceeding the hourly television advertising limit of 14% imposed on pay-TV broadcasters.
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Il 5 marzo 2011, tra le 21.00 e le 22.00, la Sky Italia ha trasmesso, mediante la propria emittente a pagamento Sky Sport 1, 24 spot pubblicitari televisivi per una durata di 10 minuti e 4 secondi, pari ad una percentuale oraria del 16,78%, superando quindi l’affollamento pubblicitario orario nazionale del 14% imposto alle emittenti televisive a pagamento.
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Consequently, the Italian Broadcasting Authority (AGCOM) imposed a fine on Sky Italia of EUR 10 329.
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L’Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni (AGCOM) ha di conseguenza irrogato alla Sky Italia una sanzione pari a EUR 10 329.
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Sky Italia requested the Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale per il Lazio (Administrative Court of the Lazio region, Italy) to annul AGCOM’s decision, which in its view is contrary to European Union law.
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La Sky Italia ha chiesto al Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale per il Lazio l’annullamento della decisione dell’AGCOM, che essa considera contraria al diritto dell’Unione.
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That court asks the Court of Justice whether the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, the principle of equal treatment and the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the TFEU permit a national rule which lays down lower hourly television advertising limits for pay-TV broadcasters than those laid down for free-to-air TV broadcasters.
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Tale giudice chiede alla Corte di giustizia se la direttiva «sui servizi di media audiovisivi» nonché il principio della parità di trattamento e le libertà fondamentali garantite dal Trattato FUE ostino ad una normativa nazionale che prescrive limiti orari di affollamento pubblicitario più bassi per le emittenti televisive a pagamento rispetto a quelli stabiliti per le emittenti televisive in chiaro.
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In today’s judgment, the Court notes, first of all, that the directive does not completely harmonise the areas to which it applies, but lays down minimum requirements.
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Nella sua odierna sentenza, la Corte ricorda anzitutto che la direttiva non procede ad un’armonizzazione completa dei settori da essa disciplinati, ma stabilisce prescrizioni minime .
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Consequently, Member States have the option to lay down more detailed or stricter rules and, in certain cases, different conditions, provided they comply with European Union law.
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Gli Stati membri conservano pertanto la facoltà di prevedere norme più particolareggiate o più rigorose e, in alcuni casi, condizioni differenti, purché siano conformi al diritto dell’Unione.
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Accordingly, where the directive provides that the proportion of television advertising and teleshopping spots are not to exceed 20%, it does not preclude the Member States from imposing different limits within that threshold.
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In tal senso, la direttiva, pur prevedendo che la percentuale di spot televisivi pubblicitari e di spot di televendita non debba superare il 20%, non esclude che gli Stati membri impongano limiti diversi al di sotto di tale soglia.
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The national rules must, nevertheless, observe the principle of equal treatment.
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Le norme nazionali devono tuttavia rispettare il principio di parità di trattamento.
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The Court then points out that the principles and objectives of the rules on television advertising limits are intended to establish a balanced protection, on the one hand, of the financial interests of television broadcasters and advertisers and, on the other hand, of the interests of writers and producers, in addition to consumers as television viewers.
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La Corte precisa poi che i principi e gli obiettivi delle norme relative all’affollamento pubblicitario televisivo mirano ad instaurare una tutela equilibrata, da un lato, degli interessi finanziari delle emittenti televisive e degli inserzionisti e, dall’altro, degli interessi degli autori e dei realizzatori, nonché dei consumatori, rappresentati dai telespettatori.
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That balance varies according to whether or not television broadcasters transmit their programmes for payment.
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Detto equilibrio varia a seconda che le emittenti televisive siano a pagamento o in chiaro.
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The financial interests of pay-TV broadcasters, which obtain revenue from subscriptions taken out by viewers, are different from those of free-to-air TV broadcasters which do not benefit from such a direct source of financing and must finance themselves, inter alia, by generating income from television advertising.
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Gli interessi finanziari delle emittenti televisive a pagamento, che ricavano introiti dagli abbonamenti sottoscritti dai telespettatori, sono infatti diversi da quelli delle emittenti televisive in chiaro, che non beneficiano di una siffatta fonte di finanziamento diretto e devono finanziarsi, tra l’altro, con le entrate della pubblicità.
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Such a difference is, in principle, capable of placing pay-TV broadcasters in a situation which is objectively different.
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Una simile differenza è, in linea di massima, tale da porre le emittenti televisive a pagamento in una situazione oggettivamente diversa.
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The situation of viewers is equally different, depending on whether they are subscribers to pay TV (in which case they pay to enjoy television programmes) or they use free-to-air television.
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Anche la situazione dei telespettatori è diversa a seconda che siano abbonati ad un’emittente televisiva a pagamento (alla quale versano un corrispettivo per la fruizione dei programmi) o usufruiscano dei servizi di un’emittente televisiva in chiaro.
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It follows that, in seeking a balanced protection of the financial interests of broadcasters and of viewers, the national legislature may set different hourly broadcasting limits for advertising on pay-TV and on free-to-air TV.
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Ne consegue che, nel ricercare una tutela equilibrata degli interessi finanziari delle emittenti televisive e degli interessi dei telespettatori, il legislatore nazionale può stabilire limiti diversi all’affollamento pubblicitario orario a seconda che si tratti di emittenti televisive a pagamento o in chiaro.
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Finally, the Court points out that the Italian legislation could amount to a restriction on the freedom to provide services.
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La Corte segnala infine che la normativa italiana potrebbe costituire una restrizione alla libera prestazione dei servizi.
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In that regard, the Court states that the protection of consumers against abuses of advertising nevertheless constitutes an overriding reason relating to the general interest which may justify restrictions on the freedom to provide services, provided that those restrictions are such as to ensure achievement of the aim pursued and do not go beyond what is necessary for that purpose.
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A tale riguardo, la Corte dichiara che la tutela dei consumatori contro gli eccessi della pubblicità commerciale costituisce tuttavia un motivo imperativo d’interesse generale che può giustificare restrizioni alla libera prestazione dei servizi, posto che tale restrizione sia idonea a garantire la realizzazione dell’obiettivo perseguito e non ecceda quanto necessario al suo raggiungimento.
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It is for the referring court to assess whether those conditions are satisfied.
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Spetta al giudice del rinvio verificare se tali condizioni siano soddisfatte.
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NOTE:
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IMPORTANTE:
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A reference for a preliminary ruling allows the courts and tribunals of the Member States, in disputes which have been brought before them, to refer questions to the Court of Justice about the interpretation of European Union law or the validity of a European Union act.
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Il rinvio pregiudiziale consente ai giudici degli Stati membri, nell'ambito di una controversia della quale sono investiti, di interpellare la Corte in merito all’interpretazione del diritto dell’Unione o alla validità di un atto dell’Unione.
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The Court of Justice does not decide the dispute itself.
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La Corte non risolve la controversia nazionale.
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It is for the national court or tribunal to dispose of the case in accordance with the Court’s decision, which is similarly binding on other national courts or tribunals before which a similar issue is raised.
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Spetta al giudice nazionale risolvere la causa conformemente alla decisione della Corte. Tale decisione vincola egualmente gli altri giudici nazionali ai quali venga sottoposto un problema simile.
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LISTEN WITH READSPEAKER
The Italian rule on television advertising, which lays down lower hourly
limits for advertising for pay-TV broadcasters than for free-to-air TV
broadcasters, is, in principle, compatible with European Union law
The principle of proportionality must however be observed
The Audiovisual Media Services Directive makes television advertising
subject to minimum rules and standards, in order to ensure that the interests of
consumers as television viewers are protected.
In that regard, it sets a limit of 20% of advertising and teleshopping
spots per hour, but leaves the Member States the option of setting more detailed
or stricter rules for media service providers under their jurisdiction.
The Italian legislation provides that the transmission of
advertisements by the holder of the general public broadcasting service
concession may not exceed 4% of weekly programming time and 12% of each hour.
The transmission of advertising spots by other free-to-air TV
broadcasters may not exceed 15% of daily programming time and 18% of each hour,
whilst for pay-TV broadcasters, it could not exceed, for 2011, 14% of each hour
(in those two cases, any advertising in excess thereof – which, in any event,
cannot exceed 2% in any given hour – must be offset by a reduction in the
preceding or following hour).
On 5 March 2011, between 21.00 and 22.00, the pay-TV station Sky Sport
1, edited by Sky Italia, broadcast 24 television advertising spots, for a total
duration of 10 minutes and 4 seconds, which is an hourly percentage of 16.78%,
thereby exceeding the hourly television advertising limit of 14% imposed on
pay-TV broadcasters.
Consequently, the Italian Broadcasting Authority (AGCOM) imposed a fine
on Sky Italia of EUR 10 329.
Sky Italia requested the Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale per il
Lazio (Administrative Court of the Lazio region, Italy) to annul AGCOM’s
decision, which in its view is contrary to European Union law.
That court asks the Court of Justice whether the Audiovisual Media
Services Directive, the principle of equal treatment and the fundamental
freedoms guaranteed by the TFEU permit a national rule which lays down lower
hourly television advertising limits for pay-TV broadcasters than those laid
down for free-to-air TV broadcasters.
In today’s judgment, the Court notes, first of all, that the directive
does not completely harmonise the areas to which it applies, but lays down
minimum requirements.
Consequently, Member States have the option to lay down more detailed
or stricter rules and, in certain cases, different conditions, provided they
comply with European Union law.
Accordingly, where the directive provides that the proportion of
television advertising and teleshopping spots are not to exceed 20%, it does not
preclude the Member States from imposing different limits within that threshold.
The national rules must, nevertheless, observe the principle of equal
treatment.
The Court then points out that the principles and objectives of the
rules on television advertising limits are intended to establish a balanced
protection, on the one hand, of the financial interests of television
broadcasters and advertisers and, on the other hand, of the interests of writers
and producers, in addition to consumers as television viewers.
That balance varies according to whether or not television broadcasters
transmit their programmes for payment.
The financial interests of pay-TV broadcasters, which obtain revenue
from subscriptions taken out by viewers, are different from those of free-to-air
TV broadcasters which do not benefit from such a direct source of financing and
must finance themselves, inter alia, by generating income from television
advertising.
Such a difference is, in principle, capable of placing pay-TV
broadcasters in a situation which is objectively different.
The situation of viewers is equally different, depending on whether
they are subscribers to pay TV (in which case they pay to enjoy television
programmes) or they use free-to-air television.
It follows that, in seeking a balanced protection of the financial
interests of broadcasters and of viewers, the national legislature may set
different hourly broadcasting limits for advertising on pay-TV and on
free-to-air TV.
Finally, the Court points out that the Italian legislation could amount
to a restriction on the freedom to provide services.
In that regard, the Court states that the protection of consumers
against abuses of advertising nevertheless constitutes an overriding reason
relating to the general interest which may justify restrictions on the freedom
to provide services, provided that those restrictions are such as to ensure
achievement of the aim pursued and do not go beyond what is necessary for that
purpose.
It is for the referring court to assess whether those conditions are
satisfied.
NOTE:
A reference for a preliminary ruling allows the courts and tribunals of
the Member States, in disputes which have been brought before them, to refer
questions to the Court of Justice about the interpretation of European Union law
or the validity of a European Union act.
The Court of Justice does not decide the dispute itself.
It is for the national court or tribunal to dispose of the case in
accordance with the Court’s decision, which is similarly binding on other
national courts or tribunals before which a similar issue is raised.
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