Seminar: A Coherent Legal Regime for EU Media – Balancing Liberties

Diana Wallis MEP, on behalf of the ALDE group, is holding a seminar on 17 October 2006 in the European Parliament. The seminar is entitled: 'A coherent legal regime for EU media – Balancing liberties. The right to be let alone v. freedom of speech'. As Ms Wallis' website states,

This event will gather experts, academics and Members of the European Parliament to discuss the current legal regime for EU media and explore possible options for the future, in particular with regard to the issue of applicable law. This seminar is set against the background of the Commission's rejection of Parliament's first reading formulation on defamation and the withdrawal of these provisions from the draft Regulation. The second reading of Rome II scheduled for the end of 2006 also coincides with the discussions on Television without Frontiers and the review of Brussels I and the E-commerce Directive.

DRAFT PROGRAMME

12.45 – 13.00: Introductory Welcome

Session 1. Chair: Diana Wallis MEP, Rapporteur on Rome II

13.00 -13.30: European Private International Law and the media: relationship between existing instruments

Speakers: Gregory Paulger, DG 'Information, Society and Media', European Commission
Claudia Hahn, DG 'Justice and Home Affairs', European Commission

13.30 – 14.00: Jurisdiction, applicable law and the country of origin principle

Speakers: Horatia Muir Watts, Université Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne
Professor Paul Beaumont, University of Aberdeen

14.00 – 14.30: Q&A

14.30 – 14.50: Tea and coffee break

Session 2. Chair: Jean-Marie Cavada MEP, Chairman of LIBE

14.50 – 15.20: Applicable law to the violation of personality rights – a quest for reasonableness?

Speakers: Marie-Christine de Perçin, vice chairperson of Presse-Liberté
Speaker invited

15.20 – 15.50: Regulating the media: what role for the EU?

Speakers: Tim Sutter, OFCOM
Cecilia Renfors, Swedish audiovisual board

15.50 – 16.20: Q&A

16.20 – 16.30: Conclusions

The event will take place on Tuesday 17 October 2006 from 12.45 to 16.30 at European Parliament, Brussels, room ASP 3G3. More information on attending the event can be found here.