European Commission Considering Infringement Proceedings against Italy

IRIS 1998-1:1/22

Frédéric Pinard

European Audiovisual Observatory

The Commission has announced that it is considering starting proceedings against Italy before the European Court of Justice of the European Communities because of its failure to respect certain provisions of the Television without Frontiers Directive. The Commission referred mainly to the measures applicable to advertising slots and the broadcasting of European productions. The broadcasting quotas provided for in Italian legislation apply only to cinematographic works and do not cover all the types of programme intended by the Directive. Moreover, no national measures have been adopted to support the creation and broadcasting of independent productions. Lastly, the legislative text transposing the Directive does not respect the obligations contained in the Community text as regards the interruption of programmes by advertising.