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In a decision of 12 March 2003, the Bundesverfassungsgericht (Federal Constitutional Court - BVerfG) dismissed constitutional appeals by journalists complaining that investigations had been made into their telephone communications data. The investigating authorities presumed that certain journalists had been in telephone contact with persons under suspicion of committing serious crimes. At the request of the investigating authorities, the courts had ordered the relevant telecommunications companies to provide the authorities with information regarding communications data. In this way the authorities...

In a criminal law ruling of 31 January 2003, the Landgericht Düsseldorf (Düsseldorf District Court - LG Düsseldorf) assessed the rules governing the dissemination of pornography on the Internet with regard to the protection of minors. In Germany, prior to the entry into force on 1 April 2003 of reforms on youth protection in the media, pornographic content could be disseminated on the Internet, provided "technical precautions are taken to ensure that the content or its dissemination in Germany can be restricted to adult users" (Article 3.2.2 of the Gesetz über die Verbreitung jugendgefährdender...

In the dispute over the possible harm to minors caused by violent scenes in the film "Saving Private Ryan", the Oberverwaltungsgericht Berlin (Berlin Administrative Appeals Court - OVG) has overturned an emergency ruling by the Verwaltungsgericht Berlin (Berlin Administrative Court). The case concerns the granting of special permission to broadcast the film at 8.15 pm. Since the film was rated "16", it would have had to be shown after 10 pm unless such permission were granted. The body responsible for granting special permission is the Medienanstalt Berlin-Brandenburg (Berlin-Brandenburg Media...

The national film institutes of the 15 Member States of the European Union have made a common declaration on the importance of State aid for European films. This is the first time the film institutes have made a common statement. The national film institutes are publicly funded and were founded to support national and European film culture. In this common declaration the institutes express their concerns regarding the necessity for State aid for European films. The institutes are worried that the audio-visual sector in Europe will be left solely to the chances of free market forces. In the declaration,...

In October 2001 and January 2003, the German Federal Government notified the European Commission of film aid schemes in accordance with Art. 88(3) of the EC Treaty. The schemes provide support for film and TV productions in Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia through the granting of partially repayable loans and subsidies. The aid is provided through the companies Kulturelle Filmförderung Schleswig-Holstein e.V (KFF) and Filmstiftung NRW , which were founded specifically for this purpose. In both cases, the Commission decided to approve the aid schemes under Art. 87(3)(d) of the EC Treaty....