Damir Hajduk, the president of the Electronic Media Council and the director of the Agency for Electronic Media, was appointed President of the European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA), the umbrella organization of EU media regulators, at its plenary session in Brussels.

ERGA, which consists of the representatives of national autonomous audiovisual media regulating authorities of EU member countries, was set up in early 2014 under the decision adopted by the European Commission (EC). Tasks of this expert group include the provision of consultant services and assistance to the EC on a consistent implementation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive as well as other tasks arising therefrom, the support to the cooperation of EU regulatory authorities, and the promotion of the experience and good practices exchange. 

'This appointment confirms the reputation of the Croatian regulator in the European Union. After France and the Netherlands, two countries and two regulators with vast experience and excellent reputation, our colleagues have recognized our work and contribution to the exchange of knowledge and experience aimed at the promotion of regulatory practice in a dynamic media surrounding of our operations. It is a huge responsibility as well as a professional pleasure to chair the EU media regulators' umbrella organization in the period when a new European Audiovisual Media Services Directive will be adopted as well as to participate in its harmonization with the national legislative frameworks', said Damir Hajduk having been appointed ERGA Chair.

During ERGA's plenary session, the 2018 Work Programme was adopted upon the proposal and presentation by Damir Hajduk, which framework includes self-regulation, co-regulation, plurality, the exchange of experience and good practices by means of a further development of the online knowledge base and the ERGA Academy, the top level platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience, and finally, the topic dedicated to the implementation of the new Audiovisual Media Services Directives, which adoption is expected in the forthcoming period.

Luboš Kukliš, director of the Slovak regulator, and Dr Tobias Schmid, representative of DLM,the German umbrella regulation organization (Direktorenkonferenz Landesmedienanstalten) were elected ERGA Vice-Chairs.