The European Parliament passed a proposal Tuesday which included a blanket ban on pornography, including Internet porn, in European Union member states.

However, Members of European Parliament (MEPs) removed explanatory wording from the porn ban section, essentially limiting the ban to advertising and print media.

The proposal “Eliminating gender stereotypes in the EU” was put to a vote in Strasbourg. MEPs passed it 368-159.

The original proposal called for a ban “on all forms of pornography in the media,” with a section suggesting that there would be a block on Internet porn:

[The European Parliament] points out that a policy to eliminate stereotypes in the media will of necessity involve action in the digital field; considers that this requires the launching of initiatives coordinated at EU level with a view to developing a genuine culture of equality on the internet; calls on the Commission to draw up in partnership with the parties concerned a charter to which all internet operators will be invited to adhere

This section also placed the onus on Internet Service Providers to police Internet users.

This section was defeated by MEPs, thereby limiting the ban to advertising and print, according to Swedish Pirate Party founder Rick Falkvinge. MEPs also removed a section calling for each EU country to create an independent body to regulate the media.

Amendments to the proposal removed explanatory wording, Falkvinge previously pointed out. A split vote was called upon to change this section:

17. Calls on the EU and its Member States to take concrete action on its resolution of 16 September 1997 on discrimination against women in advertising, which called for a ban on all forms of pornography in the media and on the advertising of sex tourism;

The amendment would remove the words “which called for a ban on all forms of pornography in the media.” This, according to Falkvinge, did not change the true effect of the proposal. The 1997 resolution mentioned a blanket ban on porn, and thus the demand for a ban on “all forms of pornography in the media” remained in place.

He said removing this text resulted in “deliberately obscuring the purpose of the new report.”

After news of the proposal broke last week, many concerned people attempted to contact MEPs to discuss the issue. However, the European Parliament apparently blocked emails on the topic.

Though the proposal is not legally binding, the vote denotes MEP majority opinion, upon which the European Commission can draft legislation. That bill will then be put to a final vote.

While the vote muddies the scope of the proposed ban, it seems Europeans who enjoy viewing porn on the Internet can rest easy. At least for now.

Photo of Falkvinge via Wikimedia Commons