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On 27 June 2001, the Austrian National Assembly's Constitution Committee adopted a far-reaching amendment to the Rundfunkgesetz (Broadcasting Act), which regulates the Österreichische Rundfunk (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation - ORF). The Act, which will in future be known officially by its abbreviation "ORF-Gesetz", was passed by the plenary National Assembly on 5 July 2001. The amendment will impose a new legal status on the ORF, which will become a public law foundation by 1 January 2002. Its official role will be to provide a universal broadcasting service for the benefit of the general public....

On 22 June 2001, on the occasion of the Luxembourg RTL Group conference held in Venice, Viviane Reding, the member of the European Commission responsible for Education and Culture, spoke about the amendments to be made to the "Television without Frontiers" Directive (hereinafter "the Directive") in the light of technological changes. In particular, Ms Reding considered that there are some areas where technological and market changes are posing serious challenges to the regulatory framework. The provisions of the Directive concerning advertising, for example, should be rethought, given the new...

On 14 June, the Court of Justice of the European Communities in Luxembourg held that Italy has failed to fulfil its obligations under the EC Treaty by not adopting the necessary measures to transpose Directive 97/36/EC into its national law. Directive 97/36/EC was adopted by the European Parliament and the Council on 30 June 1997. It amends the "Television Without Frontiers" Directive (89/552/EEC of 3 October 1989), introducing, inter alia, a revision of the principle whereby only the laws of the State of establishment apply to broadcasting activities taking place in the EC (Art. 2a), different...

On 1 March 2001, the Russian Ministry of Finance issued a decree concerning the taxation of advertising. The new tax schedule provides that the total amount of actual advertising expenses to be included for purposes of taxation in the prime cost of production (production costs, costs of materials and labour, which are not subject to profit taxes) shall not exceed a maximum rate of 7.5 percent; previously the amount was 5 percent. That means that a company can now spend 50 percent more money on advertising without additional tax. The Decree came into force on 1 April 2001.

During an advertising campaign, the company Cegetel 7 claimed that its long-standing competitor, the company France Télécom - the identifiable target of its advertisingwas using pricing practices left over from an outdated monopolistic situation that no longer corresponded to reality. France Télécom felt that the campaign constituted unfair competition and infringed the regulations on comparative advertising, and had Cegetel 7 summoned to appear in court to be ordered to put a stop to the disputed advertising, or be fined if it continued. The Court of Appeal in Versailles ordered the defendant...