New rules allowing European Union broadcasters to feature branded products to fund their programmes are set to be adopted today in a move critics say will Americanise television in the bloc.
So-called product placement is common in the United States in films and TV shows but banned in most EU member countries. The European Commission has proposed allowing the practice under strict conditions across the 25-nation EU so that broadcasters can compete with better funded US rivals.
It forms part of updating the EU's "television without frontiers" rules but critics fear it panders to advertisers.
The European Parliament, which holds a first reading vote on the revision, has joint say with EU states. The parliament is due to vote around 11am. A second and final vote would follow next year.
The assembly's biggest bloc, the centre-right European People's Party, and the liberals have enough votes to adopt the change in Wednesday's first reading. Both blocs support the change.
So far EU states favour a more draconian blanket ban with the option for states to introduce it if they want it.
The rules are also being revised to stop audiovisual content from harming children or inciting hatred, irrespective of where images are shown.
The original rules were adopted at a time when people watched scheduled TV at home, but now they can also view moving images on the Internet, pay-TV channels and mobile phones.
The revision also seeks to step up the frequency of breaks to raise more funds for free-to-air stations as competition for ad revenue becomes intense in a multi-channel world.