EU: Toymakers Angry At EC

The Commission’s failure to take action last month against Greece’s toy advertising TV ban has irritated the trade association Toy Industries of Europe (TIE). Although a majority of Commissioners have now voted in favour of taking action over the ban, which breaches EU rules on free movement of goods and services, there is no sign of any action being taken. Even a modest proposal to send Greece a reasoned opinion, the last step before court action, did not gain sufficient support from the Commissioners to be put into practice. TIE, television and various advertising lobbyists have all written to EC President Jacques Santer to protest against the ban, but so far to no avail.