The Government chooses Barcelona for the CNMC section that will oversee the media

The government is proposing that the new department of the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) that will inspect the work of private media outlets be located in Barcelona. The decision is well underway, according to various sources consulted, and has been shared with several of the investiture partners, who see no problems. However, implementing this plan into a law requires the support of Junts (Junts), which rejects a pact with the executive branch if the powers over the matter in Catalonia are not transferred to the Generalitat (Catalan Government). Without a delegation, Carles Puigdemont's party will not approve the law.

The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service has been trying for several months to create the Directorate General for Digital Services and Media. The omnibus decree approved at the end of last year already contemplated amending the law on the supervisory body and the law on information society services to create the new department. However, the decree failed in Congress, and the government has had to draft the so-called "preliminary draft law to improve democratic governance in digital services and media," which it is currently discussing with its allies.

The choice of Barcelona as the headquarters of the new general directorate of the CNMC seeks, in relation to digital responsibilities, to strengthen Catalonia's role as the epicenter for a large number of companies in the sector, from large multinationals to startups, these sources indicate.

The Catalan party warns of a kind of digital 155 by giving inspection and sanction powers to officials

In addition to these responsibilities of the Catalan delegation of the CNMC, the state registry of media service providers would be added. This was one of the announcements of the democratic regeneration plan presented by the government after President Pedro Sánchez's five days of reflection in April 2024 to combat disinformation and "pseudo-media." This registry states that "national media outlets must register and maintain up-to-date information on their ownership structure and revenue from institutional advertising." It will be freely accessible for consultation.

Junts, as it did with immigration, has demanded that the PSOE fully transfer inspection powers and that the Catalan Audiovisual Council (CAC) be the authority responsible for exercising them. The Catalan party therefore proposes that the new general directorate in Barcelona not only have its own personnel and resources, but also approve a transfer of powers so that the same body is responsible for inspecting and monitoring media outlets published in Catalonia or those nationwide with a presence in Catalonia, as well as public media outlets.

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Junts' approach is for the CAC to have its own powers to implement the new European audiovisual regulations in matters such as the management of media registration. Otherwise, the Catalan party will not vote for the government.

The government has so far refused to transfer the authority. Negotiations are not progressing. The ministry headed by Óscar López is raising the possibility of a sanction from the European Commission if the EU regulation is not transposed urgently. However, the regulation itself provides that Member States may appoint other authorities to exercise inspection powers in this area.

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The bill being defended by the government includes another aspect that Junts rejects. This is the section that authorizes officials to, without judicial authorization, inspect and fine service providers with up to 6% of their turnover for violating the law. Junts is asking for the article to be rewritten, interpreting it as a digital 155.