IRIS Plus
This publication series from 2015 covers a selection of topics that are high on the European regulatory agenda, offering comparative and reliable information on a chosen topical issue in the perspective of the ongoing reforms of the legal framework on European and national level.
For each chosen topic, this new publication looks into:
- the economic and technological backdrop
- the international and European regulatory framework
- the national implementation of these provisions
- self- and co-regulation
- case-law
- recent trends.
The former version of the IRIS Plus series (until 2014) was a paid-for publication that featured a combination of a lead article, related reporting and a Zoom section, comprising overview tables, market data or practical information.
- All published issues are available for free in PDF format (see below).
- Print versions for publications prior to 2022, may be purchased from the Council of Europe online shop.
IRIS Plus 2007-4: Safeguarding Human Dignity in the European Audiovisual Sector
This IRIS plus looks into the legal roots and main elements of human dignity as an important standard for audiovisual media services.
IRIS Plus 2007-3: Audiovisual Archives and the Inability to Clear Rights in Orphan Works
This article will examine and evaluate solutions which could possibly be introduced at European or national level to overcome the rights clearance issues caused by the orphan works problem.
IRIS Plus 2007-2: Broadcasters' Access to Broadcasting Frequencies
The aim of this article is to show how broadcasters obtain their frequencies and who lays down the standards for this process: how is spectrum organised, divided up and ultimately distributed? Who decides on the allocation of transmission capacities and how? This article will also look at new...
IRIS Plus 2007-1: Digital Rights Management Systems (DRMs): Recent Developments in Europe
This article provides an overview on recent developments concerning DRMs in Europe, with the aim of bringing some clarity to the relevant legal issues.
IRIS Plus 2006-5: The Position of Broadcasters and Other Media under "Rome II" Proposed Regulation on the Law Applicable to Non-contractual Obligations
This IRIS plus explores in full detail the background, objectives and rules of the envisaged "Rome II" Regulation on non-contractual obligations.
IRIS Plus 2006-4: Cultural and Regional Remits in Broadcasting
This edition of IRIS plus explores how broadcasters' remits may be closely bound up with culture and geography. In particular, the following article focuses on legal stipulations about respect for culture and territorial specificities, which have been the subject of transnational or regional...
IRIS Plus 2006-3: Protection of Minors from Harmful Information in the Law of Post-Soviet States
The angle chosen in this IRIS plus is to inform about the difficulties of establishing standards, procedures and justified limits to the right to information in countries with a more recent tradition of free mass media and the challenges they pose for protecting the youth.
IRIS Plus 2006-2: Major Events and Reporting Rights
Starting with a brief explanation of the various links between major events, media and society, this article describes the provisions of European law on the broadcasting of major events.
IRIS Plus 2006-1: Search Engines: Seek and Ye Shall Find? The Position of Search Engines in Law
What are search engines really? How, if at all, are they regulated? Why would they come under regulation? How do they compare to other technological means that we use in the process of asking for and receiving information electronically? These are questions tackled by this IRIS plus article,...
IRIS Plus 2005-5: Application of EC Competition Policy regarding Agreements and State Aid in the Audiovisual Field
This IRIS plus links up to the earlier IRIS plus 2003-6 on "European Public Film Support within the WTO Framework" in that both articles examine the double nature of audiovisual goods and services and its impact on supranational regulation.