Press Release: EU Member States on course for analogue terrestrial TV switch-off

Europe is leading the world in switching from analogue to digital television. The European Commission is driving a coordinated approach to the freeing up and future use of the radio spectrum because it wants to ensure that EU citizens can enjoy the benefits of digital television, including a growing range of interactive TV services (such as high definition TV or video on demand), available on multiple transmission platforms including terrestrial, cable, satellite, TV on internet and mobile TV networks. For that to happen, Member States are gradually closing down spectrum-hungry analogue transmissions and moving to digital broadcasting. Overall, the switch-off of analogue terrestrial TV transmission in Europe is well on track. Switch-off has already been completed in five Member States (Germany, Finland, Luxembourg, Sweden and the Netherlands) and by 2010 the process should be well advanced in the whole EU. The 2012 EU target for switch-off is expected to be met by almost all Member States.