Under pressure from France, the Council of Ministers for Culture and Communication has mobilized to combat the broadcasting of television programs inciting racial hatred originating in countries outside European Union. Prompted by Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, the French Minister for Culture and Communication, the Council discussed the broadcasting of television programs inciting racial hatred by channels originating from third world countries. The French government is particularly attentive to this problem, of which former Prime Minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, has made note on several occasions. In July 2004 the Council introduced legal provisions, relating to electronic communications and services of audio-visual communication, permitting the rapid termination of the broadcasting of such programs. However, the law had to be reworked twice to put an end to the broadcasting, via a French satellite, of channels conveying particularly shocking racist and anti-Semitic images and remarks. In December 2004, Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres stressed to the Council and the European Commission a need for vigilance and joint action from all the States of the European Union. He is delighted that, as of 23rd May, a debate with the Council had finally begun. He has proposed that the Union obtains the appropriate means to prevent such by-pass manoeuvres by the channels in question as, when being prohibited in one Member State they seek to be placed under the civil jurisdiction of a different State, in order to continue to broadcast their programs. The exchange of opinions within the Council showed that the Ministers from other countries of the EU, such as Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Information, Society and Media, are painfully aware of these problems and are determined to find concrete and functional solutions as soon as possible. For further information (in French), CLICK HERE