The VPRT, the association of private broadcasting companies in Germany, represents about 160 commercial companies in the areas of broadcasting, television, multimedia, radio- and audioservices. The member companies operate on the national-, federal- (Länder-based), regional- and pan-European level. In 2003 the VPRT submitted a complaint to the European Commission stating that the broadcasting licence fees constitute unlawful state aid, which led to a new regulatory framework in Germany.