The BMCO Forum, the industry group representing mobile broadcasting players, has lashed out at what it claims are European Commission plans to impose a 14% tax on high-end mobile TV enabled mobile phones upon entry to the EU, saying that it “poses a risk for the development of Mobile TV into a mass-market service.”

In a statement released today, the Forum says: “Of the many factors involved in the success of broadcast mobile TV services, handset availability is arguably the most critical. A wide range of attractive, feature rich handsets at a variety of price points is crucial to the rapid uptake of mobile TV services by consumers. The Broadcast Mobile Convergence Forum believes that the introduction of a 14% customs duty upon entry to the EU on high-end mobile TV enabled phones as well as on components, produced outside the EU and used to manufacture mobile TV enabled phones in the EU will seriously threaten the development of mobile TV into a mass market service.”

The Forum points out that the EC had previously said it regarded mobile TV as being “at the forefront of high-value, innovative services, with indications of a potential market value between € 7 billion and € 20 billion by 2011.” The EC has also recently published a communication on the the legal framework for mobile TV networks and services by identifying best practice for authorisation.

Franklin Selgert, chairman of the BMCO Forum’s board, said his members were “surprised” by the EC’s “non-harmonised approach” regarding the development of mobile TV, “fostering it on the one hand and setting barriers to its adoption on the other.”

Selgert called on the EC and EU member states not to set any additional customs duties on mobile TV enabled components and devices.