BRUSSELS – In a report prepared for debate in the European Assembly, Swedish European Parliament member Marianne Eriksson has urged a crackdown on the sex industry in the European Union by removing from stock exchanges firms peddling pornography and by restricting obscene emails.
“We are faced with a very wealthy and powerful industry, one of the richest in the world, which is quoted on several stock exchanges,” Eriksson said.

She recommended that the EU should ban companies such as German sex shop chain Beate Uhse Ag and Sweden’s Private Media Group from being listed.

Reacting to the report, a spokeswoman for Private Media Group said being listed meant it was more accountable.

“Banning or trying to build barriers won’t necessarily enable a greater control over the industry,” said the spokeswoman, Alex Moore. “There is an enhanced risk of pushing it underground.”

Eriksson wanted more action to stop unsolicited emails and television advertising selling sex, and backed studies into men’s behavior to establish sex-education programs.

Her report coincided with a hearing in Brussels involving European lawmakers, experts and women’s rights groups.

Professor Janice Raymond from the University of Massachusetts told the hearing how the industry had gained mainstream acceptance.

“Pornography is called erotica, prostitution is renamed as sex work … and lap dancing or sex clubs are called gentlemen’s entertainment,” said Raymond, co-executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women.

She said the Netherlands sex industry increased by 25 per cent after prostitution was legalized.

* The Swedish report said the internet had become an outlet for violent images of rape, child molestation, bestiality and necrophilia.

* Of the US$450 million ($685 million) that European internet users spent on the web in 2001, 70 per cent went to various porn sites.

* Sweden is the only European Union state where it is illegal to pay for sex.