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—

(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) In paragraph (2), “ relevant regulated television service ” has the same meaning as in section 13(1A) of the Broadcasting Act 1990 ( 6 ).