France clashes with EU over piracy effort

October 31, 2008 France is on a collision course with the EU after the French Senate overwhelmingly voted for an Internet piracy law that directly contradicts European Parliament legislation. The Senate's "three strikes" or "graduated response" law would cut off access to the Internet to Web surfers who repeatedly download copyrighted films, music or video games without paying. Indeed, commission president Jose Manuel Barroso rebuffed a personal appeal by French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who demanded that the parliament amendment be rejected on the basis that it gets in the way of the fight against piracy.

Subscribe to the Hollywood Reporter and see the entertainment industry from its best angle: the inside looking out. Complete access to real-time news and exclusive analysis that goes behind the scenes from film to television, home video to digital media.

   Subscribe now.