EU Media and Audiovisual Policy

Latest business news about Media and Audiovisual policy in the European Union

Denmark calls for fight for freedoms after cartoons row — 07 October 2008, 21:42 CET

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen called Tuesday on the European Union to strengthen its commitment to basic freedoms, and in particular freedom of expression, saying it remained under threat.

EU places conditions on British ad giant WPP's bid for TNS — 23 September 2008, 22:54 CET

Europe's top regulator on Tuesday placed conditions on a hostile bid by British advertising giant WPP to take over its market research compatriot Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS).

Euro-Parliament launches web TV — 17 September 2008, 18:52 CET

The European Parliament on Wednesday launched a new Web-based TV channel, hoping to bolster its image and reach a wider, younger audience.

EU probing Yahoo, Google ad deal — 17 September 2008, 17:34 CET

The EU's top competition regulator has opened an investigation into a proposed online advertising tie-up between internet giants Google and Yahoo.

EU regulators approve Sony bid for Sony BMG — 15 September 2008, 22:24 CET

EU regulators have approved Sony Corp. of America's acquisition of the 50 per cent it does not own in music giant Sony BMG from German media group Bertelsmann.

Europarltv, web TV of the European Parliament — 11 September 2008, 18:59 CET

On 17 September 2008, the European Parliament launches on the Internet its own web television channel: Europarltv. From that moment, anyone in the world with Internet access can watch a regularly changing set of programmes based around the life of the Parliament.

EU fraud office probes official at centre of media sting — 08 September 2008, 23:57 CET

The European Anti-Fraud office on Monday launched an enquiry into media allegations that a senior EU official gave market-sensitive information to reporters posing as business lobbyists.

EU quizzes Eutelsat on failure to transmit private Chinese TV — 21 August 2008, 16:45 CET

The Commission has sought an explanation from a European satellite operator as to why a private Chinese channel's signal has not been broadcast for two months.

Industrial Property — 16 July 2008, 18:02 CET

The importance of protection of Industrial Property rights (in particular the protection of inventions, industrial design and trade marks) for innovation, employment, competition and thus economic growth, cannot be underestimated. The European Commission focuses in particular on these "knowledge-based" aspects of the Single Market. Its work is partly concerned with traditional instruments regulating the market, such as harmonising the laws of the Member States relating to industrial property rights to avoid barriers to trade. The aim is also to create unitary systems for the protection of such rights with EU-wide effect through the filing of one single application for protection (Community trade marks, designs and patents). The Commission is also increasingly concerned with ensuring that the Single Market functions properly in the Information Society and the fight against Counterfeiting. A fundamental discussion on the principle of Community exhaustion of trade mark rights and its economic effects on innovation, employment and prices are also handled by the Commission, as well as the discussions on Enlargement.

Industrial Property Rights Strategy for Europe - guide — 16 July 2008, 18:05 CET

News, background information and web links about media and audiovisual policy in the European Union.

EU bans music royalty fee collectors from running monopolies — 16 July 2008, 18:10 CET

The European Commission banned on Wednesday societies that collect royalty fees for songwriters from restricting competition in Europe, breaking their national monopolies.

EU court refers Sony merger ruling back to lower tribunal — 11 July 2008, 13:20 CET

Europe's highest court has told a lower EU court to rejudge the merger that created music giant Sony BMG after finding a 2006 judgement was riddled with errors.

EU give News Corp go-ahead for Premiere stake — 25 June 2008, 18:48 CET

The European Commission approved on Wednesday News Corp's purchase of a 25 per cent stake in German pay-television operator Premiere.

Music industry independents appeal EU's Sony BMG ruling — 17 June 2008, 00:07 CET

Independent music companies have launched a new legal appeal against an EU decision unconditionally to approve the merger that created the music giant Sony BMG.

European press cheer, jeer Irish treaty rejection — 14 June 2008, 12:08 CET

Ireland received widespread support for its rejection of a key EU reform treaty from European newspapers Saturday, but others feared it portends a crisis that could lead to the bloc's collapse.

EU court rejects O2 claim over Hutchison 3G mobile phone ads — 12 June 2008, 17:26 CET

The European Court of Justice has rejected a claim by mobile phone group O2 that Hutchison 3G infringed its trademark in a British advertising campaign comparing the prices of the two rival services.

EU drops court case against Sweden over broadcasting monopoly — 05 June 2008, 14:40 CET

The Commission has dropped a court case against Sweden after Stockholm abolished partly state-owned Boxer's monopoly in digital terrestrial broadcasting.

EU seeks to protect children from video game nasties — 23 April 2008, 13:07 CET

The European Commission has called for strengthened rules on video games, saying children should be protected from the worst excesses of the multi-billion euro industry.

EU approves Vivendi purchase of Activision — 16 April 2008, 22:27 CET

The Commission has approved French communications company Vivendi's purchase of US video games group Activision after finding the deal would not threaten competition.

Design star Starck: using pencil not Kalashnikov to save the world — 13 April 2008, 14:10 CET

He may be the global darling of design, but fast-talking hyperactive Philippe Starck wants esthetic considerations struck off the menu. Ethics are the order of the day, he believes, if the planet is to be saved.

EU regulators probe state-aid for Britain's Channel 4 — 02 April 2008, 12:24 CET

The European Commission opened on Wednesday a state-aid investigation into subsidies for British broadcaster Channel 4's investments in digital technology amid "serious doubts" they threaten competition.

EU supports Netherlands in rejecting anti-Islam film — 29 March 2008, 20:38 CET

European foreign ministers on Saturday supported the Netherlands in rejecting an anti-Islamic film by a far-right Dutch lawmaker.

Muslim, UN outrage over Dutch MP's anti-Islam film — 28 March 2008, 19:17 CET

Muslim nations, the European Union and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday expressed outrage at an anti-Islam film posted on the Internet by a far-right Dutch MP.

EU presidency blasts anti-Islam film — 28 March 2008, 17:28 CET

The European Union's Slovenian presidency on Friday slammed an anti-Islam film from a Dutch lawmaker, which it said served "no other purpose than inflaming hatred."

EU antitrust regulators clear Google's DoubleClick takeover — 12 March 2008, 23:01 CET

EU antitrust regulators gave the greenlight on Tuesday to Google's takeover of online advertising giant DoubleClick after ruling the deal would not stifle competition.