2012 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST RULES - Svt

2012 ESC Rules
2.1) Application process
2.1.1) Eligibility of Members
SECTION 2
LEGAL AND FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
Only television broadcasters which are Active Members of the EBU are eligible to participate in the
ESC. The EBU Permanent Services may apply additional rules in order to ensure that the number of
participating broadcasters is suitable for the format of the Shows.
In accordance with the EBU Code of Finance, any Member which has been in debt to the EBU for
more than 240 days at the time of the Communication Deadline shall automatically be denied access
to the ESC, unless the Member settles, before the Withdrawal Deadline, all its debts to the EBU which
are older than 90 days. If, after the Withdrawal Deadline but not later than two weeks before the HoD
Meeting, a Participating Broadcaster has vis-à-vis the EBU any unpaid invoice older than 240 days, it
shall be subject to disqualification from the ESC and may therefore not be authorized to present its
entry or to participate in the ESC. It shall nevertheless remain liable for paying its final participation
fee.
2.1.2) Procedure
All Active EBU Members wishing to participate in the ESC must complete the confirmation of
participation form attached hereto and return it by the Application Deadline (see the Event
Schedule) as per the indications mentioned therein.
On the basis of the replies received, the Reference Group shall draw up a list of Participating
Broadcasters and shall notify to them the preliminary participation fees by the
Communication Deadline (see the Event Schedule). If more than 45 countries apply to participate in
the ESC, the Reference Group shall decide which countries shall have priority to participate. One
criterion may be to give priority to countries which have participated the most often in the five previous
editions of the ESC. The remaining countries shall be placed on a waiting list and shall be notified
accordingly. If a place becomes available in one of the Semi-Finals the Reference Group shall decide,
preferably through a draw, which Member shall have the right to participate.
Any EBU Member accepted as a Participating Broadcaster may withdraw without incurring any
financial penalty until the Withdrawal Deadline (see the Event Schedule). Without prejudice to any
sanction which may be applied as per the provisions of Section 2.6 below, if after the Withdrawal
Deadline a Participating Broadcaster withdraws or is disqualified for non-compliance with these
Rules, it shall remain liable for paying 100% of its final participation fee.
The final participation fees shall be established by the EBU Permanent Services and shall be
communicated to the Participating Broadcasters on the Notification Deadline (see the Event
Schedule) at the latest.
In any of the above-mentioned circumstances the EBU Permanent Services remain free to decide
whether or not to replace a Participating Broadcaster which is disqualified or has withdrawn by
another EBU Member if this is still compatible with the schedule for preparing the Shows.
2.2) Participating Broadcasters' commitments
2.2.1) Next ESC
By applying to participate, each Member must also be willing and able to host the next ESC with all its
obligations, as set out in Annexe 1 and further detailed in the Host Broadcaster agreement.
If so required by the EBU, the Participating Broadcaster which has entered the winning song shall:
be obliged to host the next edition of the ESC in accordance with the corresponding rules and
with the obligations set out in Annexe 1;
provide a financial guarantee, which shall be, if the EBU Permanent Services so require, a
pre-condition for the EBU definitively entrusting the Participating Broadcaster which has
entered the winning song with the organization and production of the next edition of the ESC.
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