ERGA members met in plenary on 1 December 2022 to review the past year and prepare the work programme for the coming year. The meeting was opened with a speech by Valère Moutarlier, Chief of Staff to Commissioner Breton. In his remarks, he acknowledged the important role of ERGA and discussed with the group members. He stressed the importance of the new European Board for Media Services within the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) framework. According to the EMFA proposal, the new council would replace ERGA while being given new roles and responsibilities.
ERGA members reviewed a very intense and challenging 2022. Significant events for media services and national regulators are also expected in the coming year. European legislators' negotiations on EMFA are announced to start, the Digital Services Act (DSA) will come into force, and the Audiovisual Media Services Directive will finally be implemented in all Member States. Negotiations on the draft regulation on transparency and targeting of political advertising and implementing a strengthened Code of Practice against the spread of misinformation will also occur in 2023. ERGA is aware of the challenges ahead and has adopted an ambitious work programme for 2023, which will be implemented under the chairmanship of the Italian regulator AGCOM.
The plenary meeting also held the election of the ERGA President and the ERGA Bureau. Giacomo Lasorella, current ERGA Vice-President and President of AGCOM (Italy) was elected ERGA President for 2023. Carlos Aguilar Paredes, a CNMC Bureau (Spain) member, was elected as the new Vice-Chair. Celene Craig, Director of BAI (Ireland), Karim Ibourki, President of CSA (Belgium) and Susanne Lackner, Vice President of KommAustria (Austria), were elected as additional members of the ERGA Board.