Pornography in Europe
has been dominated by a few pan-European producers and distributors, the most notable of which is the Private Media Group that successfully claimed the position previously held by Color Climax Corporation in the early 1990s. Most European countries also have local pornography producers, from Portugal to Albania, who face varying levels of competition with international producers. The legal status of pornography varies widely in Europe; its production and distribution are illegal in countries such as Ukraine, Belarus and Bulgaria, while Hungary has permissive pornography laws.
Albania
In Albania, pornography is illegal only for producing, delivery, advertising, import, selling and publication of pornographic materials in persons under 18 years old. Child pornography is strictly prohibited.Austria
Austrian legislation on pornography has its roots in legal efforts dating back to 1715 to suppress obscene writings and objects, which became increasingly widespread with the advent of printing. The reason for enacting the pornography law was that the catastrophe of World War II had not only crippled the economy, but also led to a shake-up of traditional views on customs and morals. The law was intended to set boundaries of decency and propriety in the interest of orderly coexistence. It serves to restrict the satisfaction of sexual desire, as purely erotic works have an intoxicating effect similar to that of drugs, arousing the subconscious urges of young people. It was considered a great injustice that had to be combated to use the superiority of the instinct for self-preservation and procreation for financial gain. Since its adoption in 1950, the content of the law has not been amended, but it has been increasingly liberalized by the courts. Due to its age, it has been criticized on several occasions as outdated and in need of reform. In 1994 a prohibition on child pornography was added to the law. Under these regulations the minimum age for buying hardcore pornography is 16. Publication of pornography or material depicting bestiality is illegal.Belarus
Pornography is illegal in Belarus. Production, distribution, promotion, exhibition as well as possession with intent of distribution or promotion of pornographic materials or objects of pornographic nature is punished by Belarusian criminal law and results in compulsory community service, fine or up to 4 years imprisonment.Belgium
Bulgaria
In the People's Republic of Bulgaria pornography was only available to a comparatively limited number of people. What pornographic materials there were were smuggled into the country. The abandonment of censorship in the early post-communist period resulted in pornography becoming widely available. In the early 1990s pornographic magazines were sold at newsstands, pirated foreign pornographic videocassettes became available and foreign pornographic television stations were accessible. The first Bulgarian pornographic film was made in 1992.The production and distribution of pornography is illegal in Bulgaria. The filming of pornography and the online distribution of sexual content are illegal. There are no Bulgarian pornographic production companies. Accessing, possessing or storing pornographic materials is not illegal.
The penalty for production or distribution of pornography is up to one year imprisonment and a fine of 1000 to. The penalty for distribution or possession of child pornography is up to one year imprisonment or a fine of up to. Authorities tolerate illegal distribution of hardcore porn in designated shops, and on television after 11:00p.m. Softcore material is rarely censored. Magazines and pornographic papers have become increasingly available since the fall of communism in 1989, and local editions of many international porn magazines are published. Society is often exposed to sexual content in advertising.
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Pornography in the Czech Republic was legalized in 1993 following the Velvet Revolution, when the country ceased to be a communist state and returned to liberal democracy. Among the Czech companies that produce pornography are LegalPorno Studios, based in Prague.The sale and distribution of child pornography is illegal and is punishable by imprisonment for up to 3 years. Possession of child pornography was made illegal in 2007 and carries a penalty of up to 2 years in prison. The Czech penal code also bans the sale and distribution of pornography depicting sexual intercourse with an animal and pornography depicting violence or disrespect to human beings, with a penalty of up to 1 year in prison.
Denmark
A ban on pornographic literature was lifted in 1967. In 1969, Denmark became the first country in the world to legalize pornography. People in Denmark have free access to pornography. Pornography including minors younger than 18 years is prohibited since 1980, and possession of the same is also illegal.Estonia
Pornography is legal, distribution or production is regulated by law.Finland
In Finland, child pornography is illegal, along with violent and bestial pornography. It is legal to sell pornography in any store, but magazines may not be sold to buyers less than 16 years of age, and hardcore is restricted to buyers aged at least 18.Prior to 1 January 1999, all indecent publishing, including the import and export thereof, was banned.
France
In France, pornography is overall permitted, but with distinctions:- Hardcore pornography must not be sold to persons under the age of 18.
- Softcore pornography must not be sold to persons under the age of 16.
- Extremely violent or graphic pornography is considered X-rated, and so may be shown only in specific theaters, and may not be displayed to minors.
- Some pornography has a special VAT : a 33% tax is levied on X-rated movies, and a 50% excise is placed on pornographic online services.
Some movies are forbidden to persons under the age of 18, without the requirement for an X rating, such as Baise-moi, Ken Park or Saw 3, so that these movies can be viewed in theaters and not attract VAT.
Germany
The constitution and law are very strict about hardcore pornography, especially when compared to very liberal laws about softcore pornography, prostitution and sex shops. Supplying hardcore pornography to people who are less than 18 years old is an offence, and shops selling it must keep people under the age of 18 from entering their premises. If only a part of the shop is dedicated to pornography, it must be completely closed off from the rest of the premises. Alternatively, shops may choose not to display their goods or advertise that they sell them, in which case minors may be admitted. Websites hosting pornographic material within Germany must comply with rules about verifying that viewers are over 18.Softcore pornography is less restricted, and may even be broadcast on TV at night. The age threshold is usually FSK-16. In contrast many uncut action films or video games easily reach the FSK-18 rating.
Pornography is legal with the exception of child pornography. German prosecution authorities and legal bodies of Germany's sixteen states handle the definition of child pornography very differently. The German Edathy affair of following the neglected cooperation of BKA within the Canadian child pornography uncoverings gave way for new legislation procedures in parliament to define the status of either posing or exhibitive pictures of minors. New laws were still in parliamentary debating as recently as 19December 2014.
Greece
Pornography in Greece is illegal by selling or publishing material and it is illegal to minors under 18 years old. Despite the fact, the practice is still commonly done because the law is weakly enforced. Pornographic material is sold in sex shops, DVD-clubs, mini markets, and kiosk shops. There is also a local pornographic production which began unofficially in the 1970s, which then became official and full legal since 2008. Child pornography is illegal and is punished by imprisonment and monetary penalties.Hungary
Pornography is generally legal in Hungary. In Hungary, the production of pornography mainly dates from the period after the fall of communism in 1989. The production and distribution of pornography was illegal under communism, but the laws were liberalised with the emergence of democracy. Permissive government policies soon propelled the country to the forefront of the European pornography industry. Several foreign directors were attracted to the country's liberal legislation, cheap production costs and large supply of attractive female performers. Eventually, domestic producers began to prosper as well, and several female actresses made big names for themselves within the industry. Hungarian pornography is different from that produced in America in the more natural appearance of its performers. The sex scenes also tend to be more extreme, with frequent use of anal sex and various forms of multiple penetration.In 2021 Hungary's parliament passed a law that bans display or promote pornography, including gender change or homosexuality to anyone under 18 years old.
Iceland
The production or sale of pornography is prohibited in Iceland. Heavy fines were applied in 2001 and ten years earlier a fine was applied to the first manager of the first private TV station in Iceland for showing the Danish "mainstream" Zodiac-films, I Tvillingernes tegn and I Tyrens tegn. In early 2013 there was a draft proposal by Ögmundur Jónasson, the Minister of the Interior, to extend the ban to online pornography to protect children from violent sexual imagery. The plan has been stalled since the change in government during the parliamentary election on 27 April 2013. Since then, there have been no changes to the relevant legislation, and no changes have been formally proposed.Publication of pornography is illegal in Iceland, and is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to 6 months. Publication of child pornography is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to 2 years. In 2013 the Icelandic government proposed banning violent Internet pornography and Iceland's parliament began debating a ban on online pornography.