Bill proposes reforming RTVE and giving EFE its own law

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill, introduced by Ciudadanos and not yet passed, would regulate the state public service of radio, television and news, and repeal Law 17/2006, which currently governs RTVE.
2. It would change how RTVE board members are chosen: an Experts Committee would shortlist candidates on merit, and the Cortes Generales (Spanish Parliament) would elect ten members, five men and five women, six by the Congress of Deputies and four by the Senate, requiring a three-fifths majority. If no one reaches that majority, the highest-scoring candidates would be chosen.
3. It would expand ineligibility grounds: anyone who in the previous five years held an elected or politically appointed office, or a directive post in unions or political parties, could not run.
4. The EFE news agency would get its own law for the first time, with a six-member board elected like RTVE's (four by the Congress of Deputies and two by the Senate) and a president elected by the Congress. The new board would have to be elected within six months.
5. Board members would serve six-year, non-renewable terms, and could be removed for reasons such as resignation, end of term, or removal approved by the Congress with a three-fifths majority. The whole board would also be removed if 40% or more of the public service indicators are not met.
6. Parliamentary oversight would move to a joint oversight committee for both RTVE and EFE, which until now only oversaw RTVE.

Who it affects

• RTVE: Its current law, the system for electing its board and president, and removal rules would change.
• EFE news agency: It would get its own law for the first time, with its own organization, board and president.
• Congress of Deputies and Senate: They would elect the RTVE and EFE board members and oversee both entities through a joint committee.
• Political parties and unions: Their officeholders and executives could not apply to the RTVE or EFE selection process within the previous five years.
• The public: RTVE and EFE would be subject to the transparency law and would have to publish board member data and job openings on their websites.

Words worth knowing

Comisión Mixta (joint committee)

A body of deputies and senators that oversees, on behalf of Parliament, compliance with the public service duties.

Sociedad mercantil estatal (state-owned company)

A company whose capital belongs entirely to the State and that operates under the rules of public limited companies.

Mandato-marco (framework mandate)

A document in which Parliament sets the public service goals the entity must meet over nine years.

Contrato-programa (program contract)

An agreement between the Government and the entity that sets out, every three years, the goals and funding of the public service.

Mayoría de tres quintos (three-fifths majority)

The favorable vote of three out of every five members of the chamber is required, a higher bar than a simple majority.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries