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The Swiss Bundesrat (Council of Ministers) has resolved, in co-operation with the cantons, to step up the fight against punishable offences committed with the aid of information and communications systems. It is particularly concerned about child pornography on the Internet. In two statements on parliamentary motions, the Bundesrat said it wished to combat this new phenomenon through closer coordination between the Federation and the cantons. In accordance with proposals by a working group and in co-operation with the cantons, it intends to set up an Internet monitoring authority with responsibility...

The Independent Television Commission (ITC), the British regulator of broadcasters other than the BBC, has required a broadcast apology from Channel 4 over its broadcast of a highly controversial satirical programme on paedophilia and on its treatment in the media. The programme, in the series "Brass Eye", was broadcast on 26 July and repeated on 27 July, attracting around 1,000 complaints to the ITC. The Culture Secretary (the minister responsible for broadcasting) had also intervened by expressing concern about the inability of the ITC to prevent the broadcasting of the repeat. In its adjudication,...

In July 2001, the Parliament of the Autonomous Community of Navarra approved a new Act on the provision of audiovisual services in Navarra and on the creation of the Consejo Audiovisual de Navarra (the Audiovisual Council of Navarra - CAN). This Act implements some provisions of the national Act 25/1994 (as amended by Act 22/1999), which incorporates the "Television Without Frontiers" Directive into Spanish Law. The new Act of Navarra obliges broadcasters under its jurisdiction to comply with quotas for Navarran programmes. It also regulates advertising, sponsorship and the protection of minors,...

The Broadcasting Council, which monitors broadcasting in the Czech Republic, has imposed fines on several Czech TV broadcasters. In one case, broadcasters repeatedly showed an advertisement for a brand of sweet, in which a girl threw her doll at a car at a street crossing so that the activated airbags trapped the car's occupants against the back of their seats. The girl then took a sweet from the hand of an astonished woman sitting in the car. A voice then said: "(name of brand) - when you must, you must". In the Broadcasting Council's view, this advertisement was aimed at minors and encouraged...

On 5 September 2001, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted a Recommendation concerning self-regulation and user protection against illegal or harmful content on new communications and information services. The Recommendation underlines the importance of Europe-wide and, indeed, international collaboration concerning the regulation of content on the Internet. Recommendation Rec(2001)8 stresses the importance of self-regulatory initiatives by the information industries, in cooperation with the governments of member states. It presents certain principles and mechanisms dealing...