European Broadcasting Area

Current boundaries of the European Broadcasting Area in red

The European Broadcasting Area (EBA) is a geographical area defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the purpose of coordinating broadcasting activity.

The EBA includes some territory outside of Europe (e.g. Southern Mediterranean), while excluding certain areas that are part of the European continent (e.g. large swathes of European Russia). After the EBA was expanded by the 2007 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07), the only ITU member state with territory in Europe that remains outside the EBA is Kazakhstan (this area is known as European Kazakhstan).

The boundaries of the European Broadcasting Area have their origin in the regions served and linked by telegraphy cables in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The national broadcasters of most countries within the area are members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which as of 2026 is made up of 115 member organisations from 57 countries as well as 31 associate members from a further 20 countries.

List of countries and territories within the EBA

ITU member states

Former ITU member states

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Partially outside the EBA.
  2. ↑ Greenland is outside the EBA.
  3. ↑ Overseas regions and territories are outside the EBA.
  4. ↑ Caribbean Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten are outside the EBA.
  5. ↑ Bouvet Island, Peter I Island and Queen Maud Land are outside the EBA.
  6. ↑ The Canary Islands are outside the EBA.
  7. ↑ The British Overseas Territories, except Akrotiri and Dhekelia and Gibraltar, are outside the EBA.

Dependent territories and states with limited recognition

The following jurisdictions also rest inside the EBA borders, but cannot join the ITU due their dependent status or limited recognition:

Dependent territories
States with limited recognition

See also

References

  1. 1 2 ITU-R Radio Regulations (2012-2015) Archived 2013-08-16 at the Wayback Machine. Quote: The "European Broadcasting Area" is bounded on the west by the western boundary of Region 1, on the east by the meridian 40° East of Greenwich and on the south by the parallel 30° North so as to include the northern part of Saudi Arabia and that part of those countries bordering the Mediterranean within these limits. In addition, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and those parts of the territories of Iraq, Jordan, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey and Ukraine lying outside the above limits are included in the European Broadcasting Area.
  2. ↑ "ITU-R Radio Regulations - Articles edition of 2004 (valid in 2004-2007)" (PDF). International Telecommunication Union. 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2014-05-14.
  3. ↑ "EBU Active Members". ebu.ch. EBU. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "EBU Associate Members". ebu.ch. EBU. Retrieved 9 June 2015.