Italy

[IT] Draft Law on Publishing and Editorial Products

IRIS 2000-7:1/29

Maja Cappello

Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni (AGCOM)

On 8 June 2000, the Commissione cultura, scienza e istruzione (Commission for cultural affairs) of the Camera dei Deputati (Chambers of Deputies) started the analysis of Governmental Draft law no. C 6946 on Nuove norme sull'editoria e sui prodotti editoriali (Publishing and Editorial Products). About 20 years after the last intervention on this issue, this Draft Law modifies the Publishing Act n. 416/1981 (Disciplina delle imprese editrici e provvidenze per l'editoria, in Gazz. Uff. 12 January 1985, no. 10) in several areas. Article 1 updates the definition of editorial products to include both products printed on paper or in electronic format provided that they are intended to be distributed by any means or through radio and television broadcasting. Cinematographic and discographic products are excluded from this category. The other articles of the draft provide for financial contributions to publishing enterprises established in the European Union, but active in Italy, through a specific fund. For this reason the law, when adopted, will be notified to the European Commission under Council Regulation (EC) no. 659/1999, laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty.