UKIE: Government delay on PEGI adoption "disappointing"

Trade organisation UK Interactive Entertainment has called out the British government for its failure to follow through on plans to adopt the PEGI system of games content rating.

"This further delay to PEGI's implementation is extremely frustrating not to mention disappointing," commented UKIE chairman Andy Payne, as ported by Eurogamer.

"We have received repeated assurances from government that the process is in hand, yet PEGI is still no closer to implementation."

According to the UKIE, the British government needs to make a Statutory Instrument to introduce PEGI, but has failed to file the paperwork needed to present it to the House of Commons.

"The government has set its stock by making the UK one of the best places in Europe to do business yet despite industry consistently calling on the government to introduce the necessary measures to reduce the cost of doing business, we have been hit by delay after delay," Payne continued.

"It seems that the much talked about red tape has yet again got in the way."

The UK government decided to adopt the widely-used PEGI as its sole games rating system in mid 2009, removing the buden currently shouldered by the British Board of Film Classification in a confusing double system.

The system was expected to be adopted before the end of that year, but suffered numerous delays.