EACA Monthly Newsletter February 2003

EU News

Commission Adopts Work Programme for the ”Television without Frontiers“ Review
The Commission has set itself a deadline of end 2003 to decide whether major changes are needed to the Television without Frontiers (TWF) Directive. In its 4th report on the application of the TWF Directive, the Commission proposed extensive stakeholder consultations on the main issues of this debate: public access to major events, promotion of cultural diversity, television advertising and the protection of minors. The Commission will launch public consultations with all interested parties during the first quarter of 2003. The broadcasters see a need to remove the pan-European harmonisation of advertising rules in this area. With new forms of commercial communication (virtual and interactive advertising), the broadcasting industry wants to remove unnecessary restrictions and is demanding a "workable, modern framework for advertising regulation in the future". A series of public hearings will be held during the first half of 2003. By the end of 2003, the Commission will publish a Communication with proposals for major or minor changes to the TWF Directive.

http://www.euractiv.com/cgi-bin/cgint.exe/3296363-328?targ=1&204&OIDN=1504469&-

New EU Legislation in the Pipeline to Fight Ambiguous Food Claims
EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Safety David Byrne revealed a new legislative proposal, which would deter food companies from making "misleading" claims about the effect of their products. The new proposal is part of the review of all food labelling provisions at the EU level, as put forward by the White Paper on Food Safety. Consumer organisations welcomed the new proposal while the food industry remains less supportive, however, arguing that producers should be allowed to make general health claims. As part of the general goal to keep European consumers "properly informed" and in an effort to fight food-related diseases such as obesity, the Commission also requested a detailed study, due to come out later this year, that will look into how consumers react to information and claims provided on product labels and packaging.

http://www.euractiv.com/cgi-bin/cgint.exe/3296363-328?targ=1&204&OIDN=1504589&-

Commission launches a European eLearning portal
On 4 February, Viviane Reding, Commissioner for education and culture, launched a new e-Learning portal(www.elearningeuropa.info)at the Learntec 2003 conference in Karlsruhe (Germany). This portal provides information on Community initiatives in this field, such as the e-Learning programme (2004-2006), but also links with national initiatives, both public and private, and contributions from experts on subjects ranging from "e-Literacy" to the situation in the candidate countries. The new website is expected to make it possible to disseminate best practice in the use of new communication technologies in education and will also allow users to search for projects under way and contact the people responsible. An open forum is now available, the discussion on a common definition for e-learning.

http://www.elearningeuropa.info/

First Round Table meeting of the CSR Multi Stakeholder Forum
General presentations on CSR opened the first Round Table meeting of the EU Multi Stakeholder Forum on CSR on 12 February, which provided an overview of the status of CSR in Europe and around the world. The next agenda point was a series of presentations of experienced corporate-stakeholder who gathered and worked together with the objective of developing the best CSR strategy. The participants drew as conclusion the need for further education on CSR in order to raise the level of common understanding of this concept. It was particularly stressed that CSR principles should penetrate into companies and the management at every level should act in the spirit of good CSR practice. The next high-level meeting is scheduled for 20 May. The Forum is to present a report about its conclusions by summer 2004.

http://www.euractiv.com/cgi-bin/cgint.exe/3295846-833?targ=1&204&OIDN=1504708&-

Commission Adopts Recommendation on Relevant Product and Service Markets within the Electronic Communications Sector
The European Commission adopted recently a Recommendation on Relevant Product and Service Markets within the electronic communications sector susceptible to ex ante regulation in accordance with Directive 2002/21/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on a common regulatory framework for electronic communication networks and services. C(2003)497. With the adoption of its Recommendation on relevant markets, the Commission has put in place a final element of the new European regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services. The new framework sets out the rules for networks operators and service providers to follow in their dealings with each other and with customers, under the supervision of the national regulatory authorities.

http://europa.eu.int/information_society/topics/telecoms/regulatory/maindocs/do

EACA and Member News

EACA Raises Concerns About Framework Directive on Unfair Commercial Practice
The European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA) recently sounded a warning about the initial impact assessment supporting the proposed Framework Directive on Unfair Commercial Practices, which was presented by external consultants GFA in Brussels in the end of January. EACA called on EU legislators to recognise that the Commission's proposed directive on marketing practices presents an opportunity to strengthen effective advertising self-regulation and not to jeopardise the progress being made by the advertising industry to improve the credibility of commercial communications through excessively restrictive legislation.

Click here for more information.

Self-Regulation

Madrid
First Stop of the European Self-Regulation Roadshow/Workshop
The current debate started by the Commission, as a consequence of the Green Paper on Consumer Protection in the EU covers issues like the need for European codes on self-regulation and where should they be submitted, the role of the consumers in the self-regulatory process etc. The Green Paper on Consumer Protection is likely to culminate with a new proposal for a Directive, which will be likely launched before July 2003. To discuss these matters and the imminent challenges that advertising self-regulation will have to face now in Europe, the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA) has organised the first European Roadshow/Workshop (of a series) on advertising self-regulation, which will take place this coming March 5th in Madrid. The Workshop, open to all attendants and in which representatives of the advertising industry in Europe will participate, is addressed to professionals working/responsible for the marketing and advertising areas within advertiser companies, advertising agencies and media, as well as to trade association.

http://www.aap.es/data/frames/frnot.htm

Alcohol Advertising

Court Rejects Swedish Ban on Alcohol Ads
The Swedish government's restrictive alcohol policy has been under pressure since Sweden joined the EU in 1995. Sweden was forced to ease import restrictions on alcohol and lower taxes on wine to comply with free trade within the union but it managed to keep a state monopoly on liquor stores and sales. Finally, the Market Court, Sweden's highest court for consumer issues, last week upheld a lower court decision in favour of Gourmet magazine, which has been publishing alcohol ads despite the ban since 1996. It put an end to the 24-year-old ban on alcohol advertising, saying it was too intrusive to warrant an exception to European Union law. Gourmet editor in chief Jan Nilsson said. "Now we can focus wholeheartedly at what we do best - a magazine."

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/business/article/0,1406,KNS_376_1731800,00.html

Children & Advertising

Sweden
MP asks government to consider ”a comprehensive ban on food advertising to children“
On 22 January 2003, Dr Howard Stoate MP (Labour), during the course of his speech based on his Fabian Society pamphlet ?All?s Well that Starts Well: A Strategy for Children?s Health? summarised the current situation with regard to childhood obesity in the UK. He presented his recommendations to combat the disease, including calling on the government to ?consider a comprehensive ban on food advertising to children?. He added that far from restricting consumer freedoms, a total ban would enable young people when they reach adulthood to make a more informed choice as consumers about the food that they eat, having had the opportunity as children to learn about food in an environment free from undue external influences.? The purpose of a ban would help children to be more discriminating as to when and in what quantities they eat such foods. A ban would help them to see such products more as the occasional luxuries that they once were than the staple foods that they threaten to become.

http://www.aeforum.org/latest.nsf

Food & Health

WFA Expresses Concern on Fast Food Claims
"There are no bad foods, just bad diets", Stephan Loerke, Deputy Managing Director of the World Federation of Advertisers told Media Marketing Europe which outlines global issues facing European Advertisers. An alarming rise in global obesity and the World Health Organisation's prioritising of the epidemic as a 'top ten global health risk' coincide with increasing calls for restrictions on food advertising. This despite any proven link between obesity and marketing and commercial practices. The WFA will oppose any proposed regulation, which does not take into account an individual?s need to pursue a balanced lifestyle in terms of diet and physical exercise. Regulators must accept that there is no such thing as ?good food? or ?bad food?, only ?bad diets?, a point reiterated already by Commissioner David Byrne, DG Health & Consumer Affairs. Lifestyle changes are just one reason why the rise in obesity is such a complicated problem. Indeed, over-simplistic solutions, such as an outright ban on fast food advertising, are no way to combat what is a multi-factorial problem.

UK
IPA Publishes New Agency Guidelines for Mobile Marketing Campaigns
The IPA's new guidelines for mobile marketing campaigns will be officially launched on the 20th March 2003 at a special breakfast briefing at the IPA. The new guidelines have been created by the IPA's Digital Marketing Group. Kieran Bourke, Mobile Marketing spokesperson for the IPA Digital Marketing Group and Managing Partner at Aerodeon commented: ?The IPA Guidelines have been devised ? with traditional advertising and media agencies in mind and will prove invaluable when they decide to introduce mobile marketing into the promotional mix. Importantly, the document is comprehensive and provides guidance on a wide range of topics from consent, response rates, technical & media planning to utilizing third party SMS databases. This level of detail is not only essential for ensuring the advertising industry understands the key issues surrounding mobile marketing and how agencies can best exploit this new media to build on brand equity, but also will ensure that SMS remains a viable and effective media option for the long term.?

www.ipa.co.uk

Greece
More Fallout Over Greek Game Ban
The Greek government is standing by its controversial law banning electronic games in public, which Greek judges consider unconstitutional. Designed to stop illegal gambling, the law casts its net too wide, the EU says, ensnaring innocent Internet café owners and computer game companies. Greece ignored its first caution, an official letter sent in October. The EU will try to press its point again.

http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,57305,00.html

Forthcoming Events

2003 EURO EFFIES AWARDS
EACA has launched the call for entries for the 2003 EURO EFFIES Awards. A new website (www.euro-effie.com) has been created to enable agencies to enter on-line. Deadline for entries: 30th May, 2003. All info can be obtained from the EURO EFFIES website.

http://www.euro-effie.com

Madrid
European Roadshow/Workshop on the Future of Advertising Self-Regulation.
To discuss issues related to self-regulation, EASA has organised the first European Roadshow/Workshop (of a series) on advertising self-regulation. The workshop is addressed to professionals working/responsible for the marketing and advertising areas within the advertising companies, advertising agencies and media, as well as to trade associations. For more information please contact: Sandra Cid Tel: +34 91 309 66 37 or contact by e-mail

http://www.aap.es

Vienna
Tomorrow's Europe - Share the Opportunity!
This the main conference regarding the future of European advertising industry and the future of European advertising standards. It will bring together the representatives of all relevant European and national Associations of advertising and business communication industry with focus on the enlargement of the EU. For more information please contact: Euroforum Communication Team, MARIC&RINALDIN: Tel: ++ 43 / 1 / 315 290 200 contact by e-mail

http://www.euroforum.cc