Brief history of the SMC

Since its creation in 1991 within the Ministry of State, the Department of Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy (SMC) has been supporting the development of the media sector and new information and communications technologies in Luxembourg.

Initially responsible for diversifying Luxembourg's audiovisual sector, the SMC's remit has expanded over time. In 1999, with the convergence of the audiovisual and telecommunications sectors, most of the responsibilities of the Ministry of Communications were transferred to the SMC.

To this was added responsibility for the protection of personal data, an issue at the heart of digitalisation, the importance of which has grown steadily over the years and with the rise of Big Data. Since the early 2000s, the SMC has been working both to create a competitive legislative framework and to promote the development of telecommunications infrastructures at the cutting edge of technological change.


Since its creation, the SMC has been active in a wide variety of fields, all linked to emerging technologies. The Department has maintained and even strengthened its pioneering spirit and continues to address innovative, often as yet untapped, issues that it is dedicated to developing. In addition, the SMC is often the source of innovative initiatives and the creation of dynamic, collaborative ecosystems.