PEGI vs BBFC consultation to begin in July

The UK Government has published its official action plan for video games classification changes following the recommendations made in

March’s Byron Review

.

It pledges a four-month public consultation period will take place from July, in which publishers keen to argue the toss for a pan-European classification system will have their say.

However, it is looking increasingly likely that Whitehall will push through Byron’s proposal that the British Board Of Film Classification increases its powers in the UK.

It reads:

‘Dr Byron acknowledged that there are other perspectives, and different possible approaches. On that basis, the Report recommended that the reforms should be subject to a full public consultation, before being implemented.

‘The Government will launch a full public consultation shortly and will carefully consider all the evidence presented, including that from children and parents, as well as from the retail and games industries.’

The plan was published by Children’s Minister Kevin Brennan, Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker and Culture Minister Margaret Hodge today.

When it comes to funding the changes, it looks as thought the onus will fall on video game publishers in the territory, with limited assitance from the DCMS.

The Plan continues:

‘The consultation on reforming the system for classifying video games falls under the responsibility of DCMS and will be funded through its existing funding programme. A full impact assessment will be undertaken which will assess the costs to industry of these reforms.’