June 13, 2007
EU Vows to Get Tough on 'Killer Games'
Luxembourg
European Union justice ministers Wednesday vowed to push for
stricter rules on the sale of "killer games" to children but did not
agree on common legislation.
"There is broad consensus that much more needs to be done" in
fighting violent computer and video games across Europe, German
Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries told reporters after a meeting
with her EU counterparts.
Zypries, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency,
said that legal standards across the 27-member bloc were too
different to agree joint rules on the sale of "killer games".
EU justice commissioner Franco Frattini said that it was up to each
member state to adopt legislation on violent video games.
However, EU governments must develop common criteria for defining
so-called "killer games", Frattini stressed.
He also called on EU countries to try and bring industry, producers
and inventors of such games on board in the fight against violent
video games.
The European Commission is planning to introduce a list of common
sanctions against retailers selling violent video games to children
while leaving it to member states to identify such products.
However, the EU executive has said it would not regulate what kind
of video material should be banned for younger children.
The planned rules could include new age restrictions on violent
games as well as stronger parental advisory warnings.
Germany has put the initiative high on its agenda after last
November's incident in a North German town where an 18-year-old
computer games addict wounded 11 students at his school before
killing himself.
The industry currently operates a self-regulated ratings system for
video and computer games.
However, retailers in most EU countries are not legally obliged to
restrict the sale of adult-classified products.
Boloji.com is owned and managed by Boloji Media Inc Privacy Policy |
Disclaimer
No part of this Internet site may
be reproduced without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
