COMMISSION DECISION
of 23 October 2007
on the State aid C 34/06 (ex N 29/05, ex CP 13/04) which the Federal Republic of Germany is planning to implement for the introduction of digital terrestrial television (DVB-T) in North Rhine-Westphalia
(notified under document number C(2007) 5109)
(Only the German version is authentic)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2008/708/EC)
I. PROCEDURE
II. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE MEASURE
1. BACKGROUND
Figure 1
Market share of terrestrial platform countrywide and in NRW(14)
Figure 2
Market share of the digital terrestrial platform in Germany and NRW after the switchover
Transmission channel |
Analogue TV |
Network service area as of 4.4.2005 |
Programmes as of 24.5.2004 |
Programmes as of 8.11.2004 |
Programmes as of 4.4.2005 |
K 05 |
Sat.1 |
|
ARD — Simulcast |
X |
X |
K 26 |
ZDF |
countrywide |
ZDF Bouquet |
ZDF Bouquet |
ZDF Bouquet |
K 29 |
ZDF |
D |
ZDF — Simulcast |
RTL Bouquet |
RTL Bouquet |
K 34 |
VOX |
|
ZDF bouquet |
X |
X |
K 36 |
RTL |
E |
|
|
Viva/Eurosport/CNN/Terra Nova (Tele5 as of 1.7.2007) |
K 43 |
ARD |
C |
RTL/VOX/ProSieben/Sat.1 |
Pro7Sat.1 Bouquet |
Pro7Sat.1 Bouquet |
K 49 |
WDR |
B |
WDR — Simulcast |
WDR Bouquet |
WDR Bouquet |
K 65 |
X |
A |
ARD Bouquet |
ARD Bouquet |
ARD Bouquet |
K 66 |
X |
|
N24/Kabel 1/RTL II/Super RTL |
Viva/Eurosport/CNN/Terra Nova |
X |
Explanations: The network services for the DVB-T transmission channels K26, K29, K36 and K43 are provided by T-Systems, while the transmission channels K49 and K65 were allocated to WDR but transmission is also partly provided by T-Systems. Analogue transmissions are in italics. A ‘bouquet’ means a set of four programmes transmitted over one digital multiplex. The allocation of DVB-T channels to broadcasters in the Düsseldorf/Ruhr area is not presented in this table. The switchover in the Cologne/Bonn area was completed on 8 November 2004 but there were some minor technical adjustments concerning the allocation of channels on 4 April 2005 due to the switchover in the Düsseldorf/Ruhr area. Following the simulcast period, transmission channels K05, K65 and K66 are currently, according to the information available to the Commission, not used for television transmission. The overview is only provided for illustrative purposes. |
2. THE SUPPORT MEASURE IN DETAIL
(in EUR) |
|||
Years |
Transmission fees per programme channel |
Aid intensity |
Amount of funding |
1st year |
675 000 |
40 % |
270 000 |
2nd year |
675 000 |
35 % |
236 250 |
3rd year |
675 000 |
30 % |
202 500 |
4th year |
675 000 |
25 % |
168 750 |
5th year |
675 000 |
20 % |
135 000 |
Total amount per programme channel |
3 375 000 |
|
1 012 500 |
(in EUR) |
||||
|
RTL group |
ProSiebenSat.1 |
||
NRW |
‘North’ |
NRW |
‘North’ |
|
Analogue programme channels/Transmission fees in EUR per year |
RTL, VOX |
RTL |
Sat1 |
Sat1, Pro7 |
2,2 million |
3,9 million |
0,8 million |
4,6 million |
|
Digital programme channels/transmission fees in EUR per year |
RTL, VOX, RTL2, S.RTL |
RTL, VOX, RTL2, S.RTL |
Sat1, Pro7, N24, K1 |
Sat1, Pro7, N24, K1 |
2,7 million |
3,3 million |
2,7 million |
3,3 million |
|
Differences in fees analogue/digital |
– 0,5 million |
+ 0,6 million |
– 1,9 million |
+ 1,3 million |
Overall balance |
+ 0,1 million |
– 0,6 million |
III. GROUNDS FOR INITIATING THE FORMAL INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE
IV. COMMENTS FROM INTERESTED PARTIES(40)
V. COMMENTS FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
VI. ASSESSMENT OF THE MEASURE
1. PRESENCE OF STATE AID PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 87(1) EC TREATY
1.1.
MEASURE GRANTED OUT OF STATE RESOURCES AND IMPUTABLE TO THE STATE
1.2.
ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE TO UNDERTAKINGS
Broadcasters/programme channels |
Transmission costs per year |
Overall difference digital/analogue transmission costs per year(57) |
Average planned public support per year(58) |
Average aid intensity |
|
analogue(59) |
digital(60) |
||||
RTL |
1 351 640 |
675 000 |
– 676 640 |
|
|
VOX |
783 663 |
675 000 |
– 108 663 |
|
|
RTL2 |
na |
675 000 |
675 000 |
|
|
SUPER RTL |
na |
675 000 |
675 000 |
|
|
Total RTL |
2 135 303 |
2 700 000 |
564 697 |
0 |
0 |
SAT 1 |
722 789 |
675 000 |
–47 789 |
|
|
Pro 7 |
na |
675 000 |
675 000 |
|
|
N 24 |
na |
675 000 |
675 000 |
|
|
Kabel 1 |
na |
675 000 |
675 000 |
|
|
Total P7Sat1 |
722 789 |
2 700 000 |
1 977 211 |
550 000 |
28 % |
TerraNova |
na |
675 000 |
na |
202 500 |
30 % |
Eurosport |
na |
675 000 |
na |
202 500 |
30 % |
CNN |
na |
675 000 |
na |
202 500 |
30 % |
VIVA |
na |
675 000 |
na |
202 500 |
30 % |