Council Conclusions of 17 December 1999 on the protection of minors in the light of the development of digital audiovisual services
Date: 1999-12-17
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: audiovisual industry, child protection, infancy, information network, transmission network

C 8/8

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

12.1.2000

(7) STRESSES that

social protection which guarantees an
adequate safety net for all citizens is also an investment
in balanced economic development and a significant
competitive
economy;
relating to finance are
RECOGNISES that
social protection
common to all
mentioned in point 6;

the aspects
the objectives of

globalising

advantage

in

a

In addition to the broad four objectives for the development of
social protection arrangements set out by the Commission,

(8) also EMPHASISES that equality between women and men
must be mainstreamed in all activities aiming at the four
objectives. This means assessing the consequences for
women and men at all stages of planning, decision
making and follow-up relating to such activities;

Furthermore,

(9) EMPHASISES that the Community should pay particular
attention to a balanced economic and social development
in the applicant countries in the process towards an
enlargement of the European Union;

and the social participation of all sectors of the popu-
lation;

In order to achieve the goals of this cooperation for improving
and modernising social protection,

(11) SUPPORTS the Commission’s suggestion to establish a
mechanism for enhanced cooperation brought about by
the work of a group of high-level officials
the
this action. Without prejudice to
implementation of
Article 207 of
the Treaty establishing the European
Community, a group of high-level officials will examine
the issues raised in the Commission’s communication and
in particular prepare a
in these conclusions, and will
report to be submitted to the Council;

for

(12) UNDERLINES the necessity to create this group as soon as
possible, and in the meantime asks the Member States and
the Commission to designate, as soon as possible, for an
interim period, high-level officials to launch the above-
mentioned debate. Work should begin immediately and
a progress report should be prepared in the context of
the European Council in June 2000;

Finally,

(10) STRESSES that full advantage should be taken of new tech-
nology and in particular of new information technology
in the development of social welfare. At Community level,
special attention should be given to activities which
promote the utilisation of advanced information tech-
nology in the attainment of welfare goals. This technology
must benefit the development of health and social services

(13) SUPPORTS the Commission’s intention to associate the
European Parliament with this process; also SUPPORTS
the Commission’s wish to involve the Economic and
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions in
this cooperation and WELCOMES the contribution of the
social partners and social security institutions to this
process.

COUNCIL CONCLUSIONS

of 17 December 1999

on the protection of minors in the light of the development of digital audiovisual services

(2000/C 8/06)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Community action plan on promoting safer use of the
Internet by combating illegal and harmful content on
global networks (2);

(1) RECALLING Council Recommendation 98/560/EC of 24
the competi-
September 1998 on the development of
the European audiovisual and information
tiveness of
services
frameworks
aimed at achieving a comparable and effective level of
and
protection of minors
Decision No 276/1999/EC of the Parliament and of the
Council of 25 Januay 1999 adopting a multiannual

industry by promoting national

and human dignity (1)

(2) RECALLING also the Council Conclusions of 27 September
1999 concerning the results of the public consultation on
the Convergence Green Paper (in particular the aspects
relating to the media and the audiovisual sector) (3);

(1) OJ L 270, 7.10.1998, p. 48.

(2) OJ L 33, 6.2.1999, p. 1.
(3) OJ C 283, 6.10.1999, p. 1.

12.1.2000

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 8/9

(3) BEARNING IN MIND the Council Conclusions of 27 Sep-
tember 1999 on the role of self-regulation in the light of
the development of new media services (1);

(4) NOTING the outcome of the experts seminar on self-regu-
lation in the media organised by the German Presidency,
which began the debate on the possible contribution of
self-regulation systems
to the achievement of public
interest objectives;

(5) RECOGNISING that digital

are
developing rapidly in the Member States and that it is
therefore necessary to address the implementation of
relevant protective measures for minors at this stage;

transmission systems

television broadcasting, carried out

(6) BEARING IN MIND the findings of the study on parental
control of
for the
Commission in accordance with the requirements of
Article 22(b)(2) of Council Directive 89/552/EEC of
3 October 1989 on the coordination of certain provisions
laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in
Member States concerning the pursuit of television broad-
casting activities (the (cid:145)Television Without Frontiers Direc-
tive(cid:146)) (2), and outlined in the Commission’s communi-
cation to the Council, the European Parliament and the
Economic and Social Committee on this study;

(7) RECOGNISES the need to adapt and complement current
systems for protecting minors from harmful audiovisual
content,
in the light of ongoing technical, social and
market developments;

(8) RECOGNISES that the development of new technical means
reduce the respective
for parental control must not
responsibilities of
the various categories of operators,
such as boradcasters, providers of network, access,
service, content etc., regarding the protection of minors
from harmful content, and therefore;

(9) CALLS ON Member States to:

(cid:151) bring together the industries and parties concerned
such as broadcasters and operators, regulatory and
sector,
self-regulatory bodies
software
and
consumer associations, in order to examine ways to
achieve greater clarity in the way audiovisual content
is evaluated and rated, both within and between the
various sectors concerned,

rating organisations

audiovisual

Internet

in the

and

(cid:151) continue their work to further implement the Recom-

mendation cited in point 1 hereof;

(10) INVITES the Commission, without prejudice to existing
systems in the Member States, and where appropriate
through existing Community financial instruments to:

and

in the

Internet

audiovisual

rating organisations

(cid:151) bring together the industries and parties concerned
such as broadcasters and operators, regulatory and
sector,
self-regulatory bodies
software
and
consumer associations at European level, in order to
examine ways to achieve greater clarity in the way
audiovisual content is evaluated and rated in Europe,
sectors
between the
both within and
concerned,
of
support
information and best practice regarding the protection
of minors,

exchange

various

and

the

to

the

(cid:151) encourage
products
them to benefit
protect minors,

industry

to develop user-friendly
for parents and educators which enable
from the technological means to

(cid:151) examine possible Community actions to support and
supplement Member
at
State
protecting minors from harmful audiovisual content
through improved levels of media
literacy and
through measures to raise awareness,

activities

aimed

(cid:151) keep the effectiveness of current systems for protecting
minors under review and to intensify their efforts with
regard to educational and awareness measures,

whilst taking full account of the work being done under
the Community action plan on promoting safe use of the
Internet and of developments and experience gained in
the rest of the world.

(1) OJ C 283, 6.10.1999, p. 2.
(2) OJ L 298, 17.10.1989, p. 23. Directive as amended by Directive

97/36/EC (OJ L 202, 30.7.1997, p. 60).