SwedenRadio- och tv-lag (2010:696) (Radio and Television Act), chapter 9 section 1, retransmission in cable networks of the services that make programmes accessible to persons with disabilities
Radio- och tv-lag (2010:696), 9 kap. 1 §
In force since .
An accessibility requirements rule binding public and private bodies.
What it requires
- If you own or otherwise control a wire network that transmits TV broadcasts and searchable teletext to the public, and a significant number of the connected households use it as their main means of receiving TV, carry the must-carry TV programme services together with their associated services for subtitling, interpretation, spoken text or similar technology that make the programmes accessible to persons with disabilities, receivable satisfactorily and without cost for the reception itself (Radio- och tv-lag (2010:696), 9 kap. 1 §; Directive (EU) 2018/1972, Art. 114(1)).
- The duty covers no more than four programme services with different content broadcast at the same time by a public service licence holder, applies only where the conditions for retransmission under the Copyright Act (1960:729) are met, and the Mediemyndigheten may grant an exemption in an individual case for special reasons (Radio- och tv-lag (2010:696), 9 kap. 1, 2 och 7 §§).
These lines are LexLint's reading of the law's text.
Who enforces it
Enforcement body
The Swedish Media Authority (Mediemyndigheten), which may order a network operator to follow the retransmission duty
What it reaches
Instrument type
an act of a legislature
Applicability criteria
The Act names no household count for the significant-number test, and chapter 1 section 4 keeps chapter 9 sections 1 to 4 applicable to wire transmissions that reach 100 households or fewer.
- As of
- Combinator
- All of
- Criteria
- the network transmits TV broadcasts and searchable teletext to the public by wire, and a significant number of the connected households use it as their main means of receiving TV broadcasts
What this law does
Chapter 9 section 1 of the Radio and Television Act requires a person who owns or otherwise controls an electronic communications network used to transmit TV broadcasts and searchable teletext to the public by wire to ensure that the residents of the connected households can receive the TV broadcasts and searchable teletext the section lists, if a significant number of the connected households use the network as their main means of receiving TV broadcasts.
The listed broadcasts are those the Government has licensed under chapter 4 section 3 that can be received in the area without a condition of special payment, and those a licence holder carries out to meet a duty to broadcast to the whole country or parts of it where the means of broadcasting needs no Government licence.
The retransmission duty also covers the associated services that consist of or facilitate access to subtitling, interpretation, spoken text or similar technology intended to make the programmes accessible to persons with disabilities. The duty applies only where the conditions for retransmission under the Copyright Act (1960:729) are met. The retransmissions must be receivable satisfactorily and without cost for the reception itself.
Chapter 9 section 2 limits the duty for TV broadcasts to no more than four programme services with different content broadcast at the same time by a licence holder with a mandate under the Public Service Act (2025:986). Chapter 9 section 7 lets the Mediemyndigheten (the Swedish Media Authority) grant an exemption from the duties in sections 1 to 3 in an individual case where there are special reasons.
Where a provision listed in chapter 16 section 11 is not followed, the orders needed in the individual case may be issued, and an order may be combined with a conditional fine (vite). The list in chapter 16 section 11 includes the retransmission duty in chapter 9 sections 1 to 3. The Mediemyndigheten decides orders concerning that duty.
Article 114(1) of Directive (EU) 2018/1972 lets Member States impose reasonable must-carry obligations for specified radio and television channels and related complementary services, in particular accessibility services for end-users with disabilities. The Government bill that led to Lag (2025:990) proposed extending the retransmission duty to the associated services for subtitling, interpretation, spoken text or similar technology. Lag (2025:990) gave chapter 9 section 1 its current wording.
Lag (2025:990) entered into force on . It applies for the first time to broadcasts and provision of programmes after .
When LexLint raises it
When your app profile says your app ships a consumer interface or provides telecom services.
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