72. Notes that the European Community already has competence in a number of policy areas and avails itself of policy tools with direct relevance for media pluralism, such as the rules on free access for undertakings to important events in Directive 89/552/EEC, rules on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory access to APIs and EPGs in Directive 2002/19/EC , on "must-carry" in the Directive 2002/22/EC, on the use of an open API for digital interactive television services and platforms and on the harmonisation of standards in order to achieve full interoperability of digital television at the level of consumers in Directive 2002/21/EC;

72. Notes that the European Community already has competence in a number of policy areas and avails itself of policy tools with direct relevance for media pluralism, such as the rules on free access for undertakings to important events in Directive 89/552/EEC, rules on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory access to APIs and EPGs in Directive 2002/19/EC , on "must-carry" in the Directive 2002/22/EC, on the use of an open API for digital interactive television services and platforms and on the harmonisation of standards in order to achieve full interoperability of digital television at the level of consumers in Directive 2002/21/EC;

35. Stresses that open, interoperable application programme interfaces (APIs) are of key significance in ensuring a free flow of information and freedom of choice for users and points to the provision contained in Article 18 of Directive 2002/21/EC calling for extensive interoperability in digital television;

73. Notes that the European Community already has competence in a number of policy areas and avails itself of policy tools with direct relevance for media pluralism, such as the rules on free access for societies to important events in the Television without Frontiers Directive, rules on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory access to application program interfaces (APIs) and electronic programme guides (EPGs) in the Access Directive, on Must-Carry in the Universal Service Directive, on the use of an open API for digital interactive television services ...[+++]and platforms and on the harmonisation of standards in order to achieve full interoperability of digital television on the level of the consumers in the Framework Directive;

35. Stresses that open, interoperable application programme interfaces (APIs) are of key significance in ensuring a free flow of information and freedom of choice for users and points to the provision contained in Article 18 of the Framework Directive on Telecommunications (Directive 2002/21/EC) calling for extensive interoperability in digital television;

Digital interactive television platform operators should strive to implement an open application program interface (API) which conforms to standards or specifications adopted by a European standards organisation.