EU competition regulators to investigate Czech state aid for 3 TV operators

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU competition regulators on Friday expressed concerns about 18 million euros ($19.3 million) in Czech state aid for three digital terrestrial TV operators and launched an investigation to see if the state support complies with the bloc's state aid rules.

The European Commission said it had received two complaints in 2016 and 2018 on the state aid granted to Czech public service broadcaster Ceska televize, and two private DTT operators, Ceske Radiokomunikace and Digital Broadcasting.

"At this stage, based on its preliminary assessment, the Commission has doubts on whether the measure is in line with EU State aid rules," the EU antitrust enforcer said in a statement.

The Czech government last year told the Commission that it planned to compensate DTT operators for the cost of simulcasting between March 1, 2017 to March 18, 2020 and July 1, 2020 to Oct. 31, 2020. The measure has a budget of around 18 million euros

($1 = 0.9306 euros)

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee)