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STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS
2026 No. 529
BROADCASTING
The Regulated Electronic Programme Guide (Prescribed
Description and Transitional Arrangements) Regulations 2026
Made - - - - 15th May 2026
Laid before Parliament 19th May 2026
Coming into force - - 16th June 2026
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by
section 211A(2)(c) and section 402(3) of the Communications Act 2003(1).
In accordance with section 211A(6) of that Act, the Secretary of State has consulted OFCOM.
Citation, commencement and extent
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Regulated Electronic Programme Guide
(Prescribed Description and Transitional Arrangements) Regulations 2026 and come into force on
16th June 2026.
(2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Description of electronic programme guides
2.—(1) An electronic programme guide(2) falls within section 211A(2)(c) of the
Communications Act 2003 if it meets the four conditions in this regulation.
(2) The first condition is that the electronic programme guide can be accessed by means of—
(a) a television, or
(b) a streaming device that is connected to a television.
(3) In paragraph (2), “streaming device” means an apparatus which is—
(a) capable of connecting to the internet,
(b) designed primarily for—
(1) 2003 c. 21. Section 211A was inserted by paragraph 21 of Part 3 of Schedule 1 to the Broadcasting (Amendment) (EU
Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/224). Section 211A(2)(c) refers to “prescribed description”. Section 211A(3) provides that
“prescribed” in subsection (2) means prescribed by the regulations.
(2) Section 211A(7) of the Communications Act 2003 (c. 21) provides that “electronic programme guide” has the meaning given
by section 310(8) of that Act.Document Generated: 2026-06-16
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
(i)enabling the user to select and access programmes, and
(ii)displaying programmes, and
(c) not able to display programmes by itself.
(4) The second condition is that United Kingdom users form one of the target markets for the
electronic programme guide, or the only target market.
(5) In paragraph (4), “United Kingdom user” means a user of the guide who is in the United
Kingdom.
(6) The third condition is that the electronic programme guide—
(a) is provided by—
(i)a person (“P1”) who, on the day these Regulations come into force, is providing
a regulated electronic programme guide(3) under section 211A(2)(a) of the
Communications Act 2003, or
(ii)a person (“P2”) who is associated with such a person (P1) (see paragraph (7)), or
(b) can be accessed by means of a regulated electronic programme guide, including an
electronic programme guide which is a regulated electronic programme guide as a result
of this regulation.
(7) For the purposes of paragraph (6)(a)(ii), P2 is associated with P1 only if—
(a) P2 is a body corporate which is controlled by P1, or
(b) P1 and P2 are bodies corporate which are both controlled by the same person.
(8) In paragraph (7), “controlled” has the same meaning as in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the
Broadcasting Act 1990(4).
(9) The fourth condition is that the electronic programme guide is not a regulated electronic
programme guide under section 211A(2)(a) of the Communications Act 2003.
Transitional arrangements
3.—(1) A person providing a regulated electronic programme guide which falls within
section 211A(2)(c) of the Communications Act 2003 is not required to have a licence under Part 1
of the Broadcasting Act 1990 or Part 1 of the Broadcasting Act 1996(5) until—
(a) in the case of an electronic programme guide which is provided in accordance with
regulation 2(6)(a), 1st December 2026;
(b) in the case of an electronic programme guide which is not provided in accordance with
regulation 2(6)(a), but can be accessed as described in regulation 2(6)(b), 1st June 2027.
(2) A person providing a relevant regulated television service which—
(a) is not a regulated electronic programme guide, and
(b) is required to have a licence under Part 1 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 or Part 1 of the
Broadcasting Act 1996 only as a consequence of being accessible by means of a regulated
electronic programme guide which falls within section 211A(2)(c) of the Communications
Act 2003,
is not required to have such a licence until 1st December 2027.
(3) “Regulated electronic programme guide” is defined in section 211A(2) of the Communications Act 2003 (c. 21).
(4) 1990 c. 42.
(5) 1996 c. 55.
2Document Generated: 2026-06-16
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(3) In paragraph (2), “relevant regulated television service” has the same meaning as in
section 13(1A) of the Broadcasting Act 1990(6).
Ian Murray
Minister of State
15th May 2026 Department for Culture, Media and Sport
(6) Section 13(1A) was inserted by paragraph 5(3) of Schedule 15 to the Communications Act 2003 (c. 21).
3Document Generated: 2026-06-16
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
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EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations set out a description of an electronic programme guide for the purposes of
section 211A(2)(c) of the Communications Act 2003 (c. 21) (“the 2003 Act”). Any electronic
programme guide that falls within this description will be a “regulated electronic programme guide”
for the purposes of section 211 of that Act (regulation of independent television services).
Section 211 of the 2003 Act provides that it is a function of OFCOM to regulate certain services in
accordance with the 2003 Act, the Broadcasting Act 1990 (c. 42) and the Broadcasting Act 1996
(c. 55). These services include regulated electronic programme guides and, for example, digital
television programme services (defined in section 362(1) of the 2003 Act) that can be accessed by
means of a regulated electronic programme guide and are not exempt foreign services (defined in
section 211B of the 2003 Act). One of the features of the regulatory framework is a requirement
to have a licence under Part 1 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 or Part 1 of the Broadcasting Act
1996. Regulation 3 of these Regulations makes transitional arrangements as to when a person
providing a regulated electronic programme guide which falls within section 211A(2)(c) of the 2003
Act must have such a licence. It also makes transitional arrangements as to when a person providing
a relevant regulated television service (defined in section 13(1A) of the Broadcasting Act 1990)
which requires such a licence only as a consequence of being accessible by means of a regulated
electronic programme guide which falls within section 211A(2)(c) of the 2003 Act must have such
a licence.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact
on the private, voluntary sector or community bodies is foreseen. An Explanatory Memorandum is
available alongside the instrument on the UK legislation website, www.legislation.gov.uk.
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