European Commission
Audiovisual portal

Frequently asked questions

Video

In which languages are videos made available on the Audiovisual Service website?
Our video stock shots are produced with original sound only (no interpretation, translation, subtitles or music). Selected video News and clips may be offered in more than one Community language and this information is visible on the download page.

What is an RSS feed?
An RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed is a web format used to publish frequently updated works, such as audio, photo and video files, in a standardized format. It allows users to identify content from various websites simultaneously and view all the selected information via a single interface instead of browsing from one website to another. The web feed includes full or summarized text, plus metadata such as publishing dates and authorship.

Can I download all of the archived video files?
We cannot always offer the possibility of downloading a number of our older archived files due to copyright related issues. You should contact the Audiovisual Library for more information on this subject.

What formats are available on EBS and EBS+ transmissions?
All edited EBS news items are available in HDMP4, LR and MP3 formats, whilst live events is transmitted in LR MP4 only.

How can I find out about the latest changes to the EBS and EBS+ schedules?
You can click on the relevant EBS and EBS+ online schedule, which will automatically show the most recent updates. You can also subscribe to our RSS feeds to receive the latest updates when you access your RSS reader.

How do I use the search engine?
The website offers two different search engines:

  1. the simple research: enter one or more search criteria separated by a space.
  2. the advanced search: offers the following search criteria:

Media may be located based on (any combination of)

  • Type of Media (Photo, Video, Video shot)
  • Category (Stockshot, Clip, Video News, Midday briefing – by topic, Midday briefing – full version, Press conference)
  • Date (from-to)
  • Video Language
  • Thesaurus
  • Topic (earlier known as "Thematic Pages")
  • Personalities
  • Location

as well as Keyword search.
Search results may be sorted by Date or by Relevance.
The thesaurus is a filing system which allows you to find videos filed under either a general or a very specific term. When you click on the Thesaurus field, you will receive a list of policy areas which will allow you to navigate through the different levels of the thesaurus to refine your search.
You can specify one or more areas, the "and" Boolean operator will be inserted between your different search criteria. Try not to include too many search criteria as this will slow down the response time.
The dictionary of personalities is a true glossary which allows you to find both the photos of a person and the correct spelling of a person's name. To receive the list of names, type at least 3 letters found anywhere in the person's name. You can specify one or more personalities at the same time; the 'and' Boolean operator will be inserted between your different search criteria.

How does the 'live' and 'video on demand' web streaming work?
To access on air transmission on EBS or EBS+, select the channel in the Home Screen and click on the "PLAY" button. For multilingual videos, you can select the interpretation in your chosen language from the options provided. To obtain video on demand items transmitted on EBS, select the video from Headline News on the Home page. The video sequence is normally  available 30 minutes after the start of the original transmission; however, if this is not the case you will be redirected to the live streaming. When watching on demand streaming you can also select your choice of language when available, as well as skip fast-forward through a clip.

What restrictions are placed on my use of the video files?
The material is offered free of charge for EU-related information and educational purposes. For more information, please see the copyright conditions on our website.

Are there any other online institutional sources for video files?
Several of the European institutions are starting to offer web streaming and videos online. Please refer to their associated links to find other available information sources. In 2008 the European Parliament launched a web based TV service called Multimedia Centre, which offers videos and web streaming of productions made by the European Parliament. The European Council offers the same kind of service on his Newsroom.

What is European Broadcasting Service?
European Broadcasting Service, abbreviated to EBS, was launched in 1995 and is the European Union's television information service, aimed at information media professionals. On 1 January 2008 the EU institutions launched EBS+. Like its sister channel, EBS+, transmits EU-related raw material without editorial comment, through live coverage and edited news extracts. For more information, please visit the EBS homepage.

How can I read the transmission schedules?
The EBS and EBS+ transmission schedules are only available in English, and shows up to 17 days of past and future transmissions. It can be show either the daily or weekly program schedule. There are 3 different ways of viewing the schedule: 
  • Both: this allows you to see the EBS and EBS+ schedule side by side
  • EBS: this allows you to see only the EBS transmissions
  • EBS+: this allows you to see only the EBS+ transmissions

To change from one view to the other, change the channel via the banner on the left of the screen. Each programme is announced as clearly as possible. Other sources of information associated with the event can also be found alongside the programme title. These include press releases, photos, links to internal or external websites, audio files and video files. If you wish to view something that has already been transmitted on EBS and EBS+, the date box in the EBS banner, which is set by default to today, allows you to navigate through the days until you find the date you are looking for. You can also filter the items shown on both channels by using the "Institutions" option on the banner on the left of the screen . This allows you to show only subjects from the Commission, the Parliament, the Council or others. All times are shown on the schedule in CET.

Where can I find details of the Audiovisual Service's future video stockshots?
All new productions are announced in advance and are accompanied by a shot list in French and English once the editing has been completed. Shortly afterwards the video files in high and low definition are made available for downloading from our website.

When are the following week's programmes announced on the schedule?
After the weekly inter-institutional editorial meeting, which takes place every Friday morning, a schedule of transmissions is prepared and published on the EBS and EBS + website during the afternoon. The EBS schedules are subject to modifications during the week depending on the news of the day. New additions and cancellations are highlighted with text and colours so that they stand out from the other items.

When are the following week's programmes announced on the schedule?
After the weekly inter-institutional editorial meeting, which takes place every Friday morning, a schedule of transmissions is prepared and published on the EBS and EBS + website during the afternoon. The EBS schedules are subject to modifications during the week depending on the news of the day. New additions and cancellations are highlighted with text and colours so that they stand out from the other items.

How can I receive EBS and EBS+?
EBS is transmitted on the SIRIUS 4 digital satellite, using a Free to Air signal, which means that any digital satellite receiver can receive it, provided that the dish is directed towards the correct satellite. A satellite receiver that has been tuned to receive EBS will be automatically set to receive EBS+. Depending on the make and model of satellite receiver, EBS+ will either be listed in the programme menu or will be available as a service to be selected manually. If, for some reason, EBS+ is not listed, then a simple re-scan of the transponder will correct the situation. Each service carries the same range of language channels and these are selected via the menu. The EBS and EBS+ signals are also available via live or on demand web streaming from the AV Portal website. For more information, please consult the technical information page.

What kind of videos does the Audiovisual Service provide?
Our videos, also called video stockshots or infoclips contain original sound, no commentary, translations or subtitles and are intended for use by journalists to illustrate news items or make documentaries on themes relating to EU policy. Several DGs have contracts with production companies to make video news releases (VNRs ) or documentaries on specific European Commission subjects. VNRs and stockshots can be edited by the user, however, documentaries must be used and shown in their complete versions.

What can I watch on EBS and EBS+?
EBS covers the daily news from the EU institutions, made up of a mixture of live events, news items and stockshots on EU policies and issues.

Do I need any specialist equipment to watch the web streaming?
All you need to access the web streaming is a recent version of web browser to be able to receive video streaming on your personal computer.

Which languages are available on EBS and EBS+?
EBS is equipped to transmit its programmes in up to 32 languages – the original sound and interpretation in 22 official languages of the Union, when offered at the source. The transmission schedule announces the available languages for each programme in advance. Major events, such as the plenary sessions of the European Parliament and press conferences at the Commission are transmitted in all 22 languages on EBS and EBS+. Other languages, for instance Russian or Arabic, may also be transmitted when available at the source. For more information, please see the section relating to languages on EBS.

Can I record programmes shown on the web streaming on my computer?
At the moment it is not possible to record the EBS streaming feed. We are developing this functionality and, as soon as it is available, will announce it on our website.

Which video formats are available on the website?
The formats chosen for our online video service are:

  • MPEG4 H264 at 5 megabits per second for high resolution
  • MPEG4 H264 512 Kilobits per second for EBS streaming

For more information, please see our Formats and Software Used page.

How can I download a video from the site?
Click on the relevant definition icon of your chosen video, under the preview, one or more of the following options are available, followed by a list of how many linguistic versions are available for each option:

  • HDMP4: to download the high resolution, broadcast quality files (MP4 h264)
  • LR: to download the low resolution, Web quality files (MP4 h264)
  • MP3: to download the audio file only

To download the original language file, click on Download button next to the resolution.If more than one linguistic version is available (visible in the Available LR) you can click on the Available button under the Download button and select another language for download.

What can I find in the Video section of the Audiovisual Services' website?
The Video section is split into 4 chapters:

  • Video News: Latest news videos from European Broadcasting Service
  • Video Stockshots: are compilations of semi-edited footage with natural sound, without commentary, to illustrate priority Commission policies and activities. They are intended to help the audiovisual media produce their own programmes, news reports or clips.
  • Clips:Video clips are short productions, with voice over in various European Union languages, produced as part of a package of publicity materials around a specific event.
  • You can also use the AV Portal simple or advanced Search engine to find a specific video products.

How can I watch these videos?
Most of the free multimedia software freely available on the internet can be used to watch our online videos (Windows Media Player, VLC Media Player, Real Player, Quick Time). High definition formats can be immediately used in digital image servers. In some instances you may need additional codecs to view our videos; these can be downloaded directly from the Internet.

How can I obtain a copy of a video?
For the regular use of our services, we expect our users:

  • to record the EBS and EBS+ live satellite signals
  • to download EBS and EBS+ news items in the AV Portal on the day and during the seven days following the initial transmission.
  • to download historic files from our online Video page in the AV Portal
  • only in cases when none of these options are available, can you request a copy of the production to be sent to you on another multimedia format.

 

Photo

Where can I find stock photos to illustrate news articles? 
You can find photos and other media types (video, audio) on many different pages of the AV Portal, depending on the type of photo.

as well as in the Highlights pages:

The advanced search function of the AV Portal (reached by clicking the search button in the top right corner) invokes a filter page which allows the user to filter based on a large number of predefined keywords and phrases, to easily located specific photos intended for use in news articles and magazines.

Media may be located based on (any combination of):

  • Type of Media (Video, Photo, Video shot)
  • Categories (Photo News, Illustration photos, Portrait
  • Date (from-to)
  • Thesaurus
  • Topic (earlier known as "Thematic Pages")
  • Personalities
  • Location

as well as Keyword search.

Search results may be sorted by Date or by Relevance
Several of the available photos are also available in high definition formats and can be used to produce posters and banner.

Where can I find photos of the buildings of the European institutions on the website?
Photos of European Commission buildings can be found by using the advanced search engine in the photo section.
The use of the photos is subject to the copyright conditions on our website. (link in bottom right corner of all pages)
Additionally to the photos available in the AV Portal, both the European Parliament and the Council of the EU have own photo libraries that may contain photos of their respective buildings.

What restrictions are placed on my use of the photos downloaded from the AV Portal?
The material is offered free of charge for EU-related information and educational purposes. 
For more information, please see the copyright conditions on our website. (link in bottom right corner of all pages)

Are there any other online institutional sources for photos?
Most websites of the other European institutions, as well as a few Directorates General of the European Commission, offer an online photo service. Please refer to the associated links to find additional available information sources.

What can I find in the Photo section of the Audiovisual Unit's website?
An overview of Photos can be found in the Photo Section (available in the main banner of the AV Portal)
The Photo section is split into 4 chapters:

  • Planned Photo Coverage
  • Photo News: Events of the week
  • Thematic photos:  illustration pictures on EU-related subjects
  • Who's who

Additionally you can search for photos by entering a search criteria in the search field on the top of the screen or more detailed by invoking the Advanced Search by clicking the Search link.
Thematic material is available in the advanced search. 
Historic material can be found by selecting EU History on the main banner.

How can I download a photo from the website?
Simply click on the thumbnail of your chosen picture to be directed to the metadata of the selected photo . Under the  picture you will find details of the format and size of the selected file and this should give you an indication of approximately how long the download will take. Next to this you will find a box with a blue Download button.

How do I use the search engine?
The website offers two different search engines:

  1. the simple research: enter one or more search criteria separated by a space. The result will show photos containing one or all of the specified search criteria.
    For example 'von der Leyen Metsola' will find all the photos showing the 2 mentioned personalities.

  2. the advanced search: offers the following search criteria:
    Media may be located based on (any combination of)
  • Type of media (Video, Photo, Video shot)
  • Categories (Photo News, Illustration photos, Portrait)
  • Date (from-to)
  • Thesaurus
  • Topic (earlier known as "Thematic Pages")
  • Personalities
  • Location
as well as Keyword search.
Search results may be sorted by Date or by Relevance
Several of the available photos are also available in high definition formats and can be used to produce posters and banners.
The thesaurus is a filing system which allows you to find photos filed under either a general or a very specific term. When you click on the Thesaurus field, you will receive a list of policy areas which will allow you to navigate through the different levels of the thesaurus to refine your search. 
You can specify one or more areas, the "and" Boolean operator will be inserted between your different search criteria. Try not to include too many search criteria as this will slow down the response time.
The  dictionary of personalities is a true glossary which allows you to find both the photos of a person and the correct spelling of a person's name. To receive the list of names, type at least 3 letters found anywhere in the person's name. You can specify one or more personalities at the same time; the 'and' Boolean operator will be inserted between your different search criteria.

What kind of photos are available on the website?
The database contains news photos (press conferences, visits to the Commission, etc), historical archive photos dating back to the 1950s and thematic photos to illustrate particular European Community policy areas or initiatives.

Which formats are available on the site?
Most photos are available in JPEG format of 300 dots per inch, following press agency standards for the written press.

How can I find out whether the Commission will cover a news photo?
Every Friday afternoon we publish the Planned Photo Coverage for the following week on the AV Portal in the Photo Tab to inform our users of the main events which the European Commission plans to cover. This list is subject to changes during the course of the working week and should be checked regularly. New additions and cancellations are highlighted in green and red respectively. Once the pictures from an event are published, they will appear on the AV Portal in the Photo Tab under Photo News .
You can also subscribe to our RSS feeds to receive the latest photo updates when you access your RSS reader.

Is there a gallery of key personalities on the website? 
Yes, there is a "Who’s who? " section on the  Photo Homepage, comprising photo galleries of the members of the Commission, the Spokesman’s Service, the European Commission’s Directors General as well as key figures in the European Union.

Audio

What is a Podcast?
A Podcast is a pre-recorded digital audio file made available on the internet for downloading or to be listened to on personal computers or mobile devices. You can obtain the podcast of the European Commission's daily midday briefing from the iTunes platform.

How can I find out about the latest published audio files?
You can find and download all of the audio files produced in the last seven days on the EBS and EBS+ online schedules. Alternatively you can consult the Audio News page of our website which lists audio files by month, starting with the most recent entries.
You can also subscribe to our RSS feed to receive the latest updates when you access your RSS reader

Where can I find transcripts of Commission press conferences and midday briefings?
We do not provide transcripts for our MP3 audio files, however, in many cases a press release and/or the Commissioner's speech is published on the EU Portal along with a background note regarding the items discussed during the midday briefing. All of these documents, as well as other major press releases from the EU institutions, can be found on the RAPID database.  

Can I download all of the archived audio files?
Unfortunately we cannot always offer the possibility of downloading a number of our older archived files due to issues relating to copyright. You should contact the Audiovisual Library for more information on this subject.

Are there any other online institutional sources for audio files?
The European Parliament also offers audio files related to their plenary sessions, as well as the work of the different committees. Please refer to the associated links on their website to find other available information sources.

What can I find in the Audio section of the Audiovisual Unit's website?
  • News: events sorted by month, starting with the most recent. Click on the arrows to the left and the right of the Audio Files banner to change the month.
  • Thematic: presentation of our audio material by EC policy areas.
  • Archives: historical material dating back to the 1950s as well as all audio files produced since 22 September 2003.
  • Search: a simple and advanced search engine for all our audio products.

How do I use the on line audio search engine?
The AV Portal website offers two different search engines:

  • simple search - enter one or more search criteria separated by a space. The result will show audio files containing one or all of the specified search criteria. For example, "Tusk Juncker" will find all the joint press conferences by the two mentioned personalities.
  • advanced search - you can search on a range of dates, a specific policy area or one or more search criteria following the same principles explained in the simple search.

What restrictions are placed on my use of the audio files?
The material is offered free of charge for EU-related information and educational purposes. For more information, please see the Copyright page on our website.

What do the audio files contain?
The digital files are in digital MP3 format and contain the audio track of events such as press conferences by Members of the Commission, statements by European leaders or other significant events transmitted on European Broadcasting Service (EBS). Each file contains two audio channels: original sound and interpretation in English. When the original sound is in English, there is only one language channel. The metadata of these files are only available in English.
The Audiovisual Service portal also offers podcasts of the daily midday briefing, which can be obtained from a variety of different syndicated download platforms.

How do you download an audio file?
You can find news and archive audio files either on the EBS and EBS+, a video clip / stockshot or on the pages in the Audio section.
Click on the MP3 Download button. Beneath this icon you will find details of the size of the file and this should give you an indication of approximately how long the download will take.
The MP3 will be copied to your chosen location on your hard drive.

How do you listen to an audio file?
You can listen to a downloaded audio file using a variety of multimedia software (Windows Media Player, Real Audio, Quick Time, etc).
The two channels will be identical, the original language track.

Which languages are available for audio files?
Each audio file contains one language channel: original sound.
News items, such as extracts from press conferences and briefings, will only be offered with original sound, however, you can find transcriptions of any statements made in the accompanying shot list.

 

AV Service

Does the Audiovisual Service work with any other agencies?
Our partnership with the EBU includes providing live coverage of main institutional events as well as summaries of important news stories for its Eurovision network (Eurovision News Exchanges, EVN and EUN) which links together 118 television stations in 79 different countries worldwide.
We work in partnership with Euronews, the only permanent European multilingual information channel offering systematic and daily news coverage of events at the various European institutions and video reports on important European decisions.

Who can I contact to receive more information?
An extensive list of contact details for the Audiovisual Service can be found on our website.

How can the Commission help me to cover EU related news stories?
The European Commission's Audiovisual Service facilitate filming at the Commission by providing useful contacts and by accompanying news teams within our buildings. Details of visits by personalities, or other events at the Commission, are faxed or emailed to the accredited audiovisual press in advance of the event. Such information is also available in the Press Room. When press pools are jointly organised by DG Communication and the International Press Association, video and photographic copies are made available to journalists who were not able to attend the event.

How long has the Audiovisual Service existed?
The European institutions realised that keeping their citizens informed about European events was of key importance and providing help for the media naturally followed on from this. Initially the information provided was aimed at the written press and then progressively for the audiovisual sector. The first photo reports were available in 1948, followed by video in 1953 and audio in 1958.
In the 1980s, European events were covered by the media at all levels and the institutions took on the role of a specialised agency for all European coverage, providing information for journalists working in video and photography through the European Broadcasting Union's (EBU) Eurovision news exchanges.
In the 1990s live transmission of Commission events were introduced. "European Broadcasting Service" (EBS) was set up in September 1995, firstly in analogue and then in digital from 1999.
Since 1997, up to the minute news coverage has been sent on a daily basis to Eurovision. In the same year the first multimedia pages were introduced to the Europa website, firstly for EBS and then in 1999 for both photo and video. Today visitors to the website can access complete, up-to-date European photo and video media coverage at the click of a mouse.

Can I use equipment from the European Commission to cover EU-related news stories?
Yes. The Audiovisual Planning Department manages bookings for the use of Commission equipment. Requests for technical assistance will be met on a "first come, first served" basis and preference will be given to:

  • Coverage of Community current affairs
  • Items involving members of the EC
  • Productions covering priority themes on the Commission's Work programme
  • Radio and TV stations from a Member State or a candidate country
  • Audience and geographical diversity may also be taken into consideration when deciding on the allocation of facilities

The use of crews and editing facilities is restricted to a maximum of 2½ hours (filming, editing and transmission) for each user.

What kind of equipment and services from the European Commission can I use to cover my news stories?
The Audiovisual Service offers various kinds of assistance and technical facilities to TV and radio journalists:

  • Two fully equipped and manned TV studios and one radio studio
  • Editing and duplication facilities
  • Video crews (cameraman and sound engineer) and filming facilities
  • Access to archive footage
  • Access to play out services.

How can I make a booking request to use the EC’s audio visual facilities?
To make a reservation request go to the My Bookings section of the My AV Services menu. It may take a few minutes for this page to load. If you have already made previous requests for the use of the Audiovisual Services’ facilities, you can use these requests as a basis to create a new one. If not, you should access the booking form through the “click here” link.
You will be redirected towards an online booking form; all the fields in dark blue are mandatory. You can specify the kind of service you require through the “Type of Request” section half way down the form. Reservation requests should be sent to the European Commission's Audiovisual Planning Department, accompanied by a copy of the circuit reservation request.

What is a circuit reservation request?
A circuit reservation request shows that a journalist or an agency has booked and paid for the transmission slot needed to send out the journalist's video news story.

Do I have to pay for the use of the Audiovisual Services' facilities?
No. All the European Commission's facilities are provided free of charge to journalists wishing to use them to cover EU-related news.

Can anyone cover news stories at the European Commission?
No. Only journalists accredited to the European institutions are allowed to cover news stories on Commission premises. In special circumstances, temporary badges can be issued to journalists covering specific news or events.

What are the European Commission’s Audiovisual Services?

The European Commission's Audiovisual Service provide audiovisual coverage of European news as well as help for audiovisual journalists to facilitate their coverage of EU subjects. It offers rapid transmission of photo reports via the internet, usually within one hour of the event taking place, and on video via European Broadcasting Service in the most appropriate time slot.
The Audiovisual Library contains all our latest products in modern, professional format standards and an extensive variety of European audiovisual archive material dating back to the 1950s.