Cross-border Communications and Culture Law

The primary focus of this research project was the scrutiny of cross-border communications and culture law. This was rather an ambitious task in the light of the rapid technological developments of the last decades and the global economic and social transformations spurred on by these technological changes. Pertinent to the communications law analyses have been the media and telecommunications law, copyright and data privacy law. The international focus of the research project required that not only national law be scrutinised but also involved a careful examination of relevant law and practice of the European Community and the World Trade Organization.

Culture law deals mainly with questions about freedom of art and its constraints by public and private measures, its protection through copyright law, and the implications for freedom of art stemming from private art sponsoring and/or public subsidies. Of great relevance in this context is also the law of international trade with cultural objects.

The research project "Cross-border Communications and Culture Law" was carried out from 1 June 2002 until 31 May 2005 and was financially supported by the Mercator Foundation Switzerland. In the framework of the project, two international symposia were held and several anthologies as well as teaching materials for this specific field of research published.