112.— (1) It is the duty of a corporation to prepare and publish, within 15 months of the passing of this Act, and every fourth year thereafter, a code of fair trading practice (in this section referred to as a “code”) setting out the principles that it shall apply when agreeing terms for the commissioning of programming material from independent producers.

(2) The Authority, having consulted with the Minister, a corporation, and independent producers (or such persons appearing to the Authority to represent them), shall within 12 months of the passing of this Act and every fourth year thereafter, prepare and issue guidance to the corporation on the format of a code required under subsection (1).

(3) The guidance issued by the Authority under subsection (2) shall be general in nature and shall not specify the particular items to be included in a code to which the guidance relates.

(4) A corporation, having considered the guidance received under subsection (2), shall prepare and submit for approval to the Minister a code.

(5) A code shall include reference to a corporation’s approach to—

(a) multi-annual commissioning,

(b) acquisition of rights, and

(c) timetable for contractual negotiations.

(6) In meeting the requirements of subsection (5) (b) the corporation shall address the arrangements it proposes to adopt in respect of the duration and exclusivity of the various categories of rights it intends to acquire.

(7) The Minister shall, in considering a code, consult with the Authority.

(8) On approval by the Minister the code shall be deemed to have come into force and the corporation shall comply with such a code.

(9) A corporation shall ensure that provision is made for resolving disputes arising in respect of the provisions of a code (by independent arbitration or otherwise) in a manner that appears to the Minister to be appropriate.

(10) The Compliance Committee shall, at the direction of the Minister, report to the Minister on compliance by a corporation with a code prepared under this section.

(11) A corporation may with the approval of the Minister, the Minister having consulted with the Authority, revise and publish amendments to a code.

(12) RTÉ shall co-operate with independent producers in the marketing outside the State of sound broadcasting and television programmes commissioned by RTÉ from independent producers.