EU welcome solution to TV rights row

Brussels: The European Union on Wednesday welcomed the settlement of a row over foreign television access to the Sydney Olympics.

EU trade chief Pascal Lamy warned Australia last month the bloc might complain to the World Trade Organisation over restrictions on broadcasters' access to the games, following representations by international television news agencies Reuters Video News (RTR) and APTN.

The United States also protested about the policy. Under a recent compromise, Games organisers agreed to give Reuters Video News, APTN and CNN International permanent passes to the main site of the Games, which open on Friday.

"This is a fair decision by the Australian authorities, which opens up access to media coverage of the Olympic Games on a non-discriminatory basis," Lamy said in a brief statement.

Under the original policy, only Australian media and US broadcaster NBC, which has paid $705 million for the TV rights to the Sydney Olympics, would have had guaranteed access to the Olympic Park, the main venue for the Games.

About 150 other foreign media organisations were to compete in a daily ballot for eight passes to the Olympic Park to talk to spectators and cover news events surrounding the Olympics.

Lamy said last month that the policy appeared to break Australia's obligation under an international trade agreement to open its news agency market for foreign suppliers.

(c) Reuters Limited.