DistantNews
Support us
To Protect Its Local Radios, Belgium Adopts a Strong Stance Against Europe
🇧🇪 Belgium /Technology

To Protect Its Local Radios, Belgium Adopts a Strong Stance Against Europe

From La Libre Belgique · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • Belgium is taking a strong stance in European negotiations to protect local radio access in vehicles.
  • The country insists that car manufacturers must continue integrating radio reception, preventing exclusive reliance on streaming services.
  • Ministers argue that direct radio reception ensures free, universal access to information, especially for local stations, and is crucial for mobility.

Belgium is adopting a firm position in upcoming European negotiations, advocating for the continued integration of radio reception in vehicles. The Belgian ministers of media, representing the French, Flemish, and German-speaking communities, have agreed on a unified stance for the European Union's proposed "Digital Networks Act" (DNA).

"The car cannot become a closed streaming platform," stated the Francophone Minister of Media, Jacqueline Galant. Belgium will demand that car manufacturers remain obligated to include radio reception in new vehicles. This move aims to prevent cars from relying solely on internet radio and streaming services, ensuring that drivers can access radio directly without needing a mobile connection, data consumption, or multiple applications.

The car cannot become a closed streaming platform.

— Jacqueline GalantExplaining Belgium's position on ensuring radio access in vehicles.

The Belgian government emphasizes that direct radio reception via terrestrial broadcast ensures accessibility for local radio stations. "Preserving local radio" is a key objective, as the DNA includes provisions for analog radio, but some manufacturers are already selling models without these capabilities.

Direct reception via terrestrial broadcast works without a mobile connection and guarantees the accessibility of local radio stations.

— Belgian MinistersStating the importance of terrestrial radio for local access.

Ministers highlighted that approximately 17% of radio consumption in Belgium occurs while traveling. They stressed that radio serves as a vital source of information, enjoying a high level of public trust. "Direct reception via terrestrial broadcast works without a mobile connection and guarantees the accessibility of local radio stations," the ministers added in a press release.

"Preserving radio reception in new vehicles means defending simple, free, and universal access to quality information and to a medium that Belgians trust," the ministers argued. The Belgian radio sector had previously urged European bodies to mandate FM and DAB+ receivers in all new vehicles registered within the EU.

Preserving radio reception in new vehicles means defending simple, free, and universal access to quality information and to a medium that Belgians trust.

— Belgian MinistersJustifying the push to maintain radio receivers in cars.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Libre Belgique in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog