Advertising Rules Worldwide
News
All news will be placed in the section to which it relates, almost always Section A Overview.
A. Overview
Sector
SECTION A OVERVIEW
Food Advertising Code 2025 (FR) NL
Above in force Jan 1, 2026
EU/ international news
Green Claims Directive news Politico
June 23, 2025. Big wobble as Italy pulls
Fears EU caves to US on tech rules
Politico June 23, 2025
X Bans Hashtags in Promoted Posts
Social Media Today June 26, 2025
Retail Promotions & Pricing Altius April 3, 2025
European issues
EU fines Apple €500M, Meta €200M
Politico April 22, 2025
EU council approves 'stop-the-clock'
Macfarlane's April 24, 2025
EU consumer law plans Lewis Silkin
Apr 9, 2025. Commissioner report here
GDPR for red tape bonfire within ‘weeks’
Politico April 3, 2025
Omnibus simplification package update
Hogan Lovells April 1, 2025
Greenwashing in Belgium (FR) Ad Council Jan 14, 2025
European/ international issues
Von der Leyen bonfire of EU’s environmental red tape
Politico Europe. January 29, 2025
Trump orders US to leave WHO. BBC Jan 21, 2025
Zuckerberg urges Trump to stop EU fining US tech
Politico January 11, 2025
EU to re-open, merge CSRD, CS3D & Taxonomy
REP Nov 20, 2024. Travers Smith here Jan 30, 2025
EC Guidelines on Prohibited AI Practices
Part I. CMS February 7, 2025
International
EASA Policy newsletter Dec 2024 Topics New staffing in EC structures, Polish presidency, In-game marketing, Green Claims, ADR
Belgium transposes EU CSRD. Baker McKenzie Nov 28, 2024
New ICC Code (EN) Sept 18, 2024. FR here Nov 7
European/ international issues
Easa policy newsletter October 2024
ECJ '30 day' judgement Aldi pricing Sept 24, 2024
Google overturns 1.5 bil fine in EU ad case
AP News Sept 18, 2024. Haas here (FR) Oct 2
New ICC Code September 19, 2024
European/ international issues
Commission's call for evidence on DSA minors protection guidelines; closes 30th Sept 2024
EASA on the above and two calls for tender August 8, 2024
European/ international news
A new path for Privacy Sandbox on the web July 22, 2024
Google re new third party cookie plans for Chrome. BBC here
The Empco Directive. Taylor Wessing June 27, 2024
Member States implement by March 27, 2026 to take effect by 27 September 2026
EU issues
Privacy Sandbox Update News and Updates
EDPB Opinion On Pay Or OK Consent Models By Large Online Platforms
Ambush marketing: what you need to know ahead of the European summer of sport
Taylor Wessing May 16, 2024
Council Influencer conclusions May 14, 2024
The Greenwashing Directive enters into force: transposition period begins
Liedekerke April 19, 2024
CJEU rules on IAB's TCF. Hunton March 8, 2024
EU issues
EASA Policy newsletter March 2024
Topics Finance, influencer marketing, green claims
Agreement reached on the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive
Clifford Chance March 28, 2024
JEP has launched a new communications campaign
EU issues
EC Influencer sweep results Feb 14, 2024
EDAA launches new solution to DSA ad transparency requirements Feb 17, 2024
EU issues
EASA Jan 2024 update on GDPR and Cookie Pledge
EASA Jan 2024 update on DSA and DMA
EASA Jan 2024 update on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition
EU: EDAA Unveils New Advanced Advertising Transparency Programme
EU issues:
EASA update on CPC Influencer activity October 11, 2023
Green Glaims Directive update from EASA October 11, 2023
CJEU Landmark Data Protection Ruling for Online and Behavioural Advertising
William Fry/ Lex September 8, 2023
Proposal for a Directive of The European Parliament and of the Council on Consumer Credits
In May 2023, IMCO published proposed CCD II on which provisional agreement has been reached. Plenary vote September 2023
New Food code effective June 1, 2023
EN translation of the above here
New Febiac Car Advertising Code March 2023 (FR)
Above applicable May 1, 2023. Translation here
Proposal for a Directive on Green Claims. March 22, 2023
European Commission press release on the above here
New rules on advertisements for virtual currencies in Belgium
Osborne Clarke. March 21, 2023
New Detergents Code (FR) Feb 2023
Upcoming EU Rules on Green Claims. Covington and Burling LLP/ Lex January 23, 2023
The European Parliament Adopts New Sustainability Reporting Rules. Jones Day November 22, 2022
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (above) affects companies with 'substantial business activity in the EU.'
23/4/22. Big Tech companies to face new EU content rules. This is the news that the 'Trilogue' (consisting of representation from the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament) have reached agreement on the Digital Services Act, 'a landmark piece of legislation that aims to address illegal and harmful content by getting platforms to rapidly take it down.' The Council's press release is here
December 2021 EASA update on the progress of the Digital Services Act is here
Flemish Media Regulator published in December 2021 the Content Creator Protocol (NL)
December 2021 EASA update on the progress of the European Commission Beating Cancer Plan (BECA). The EC plan potentially impacts marketing/ advertising in both the Alcohol category and the Food and Beverages category
December 2021 EASA update on Empowering the Consumer for the Green Transition. The EC has delayed the tabling of this initiative until 30 March 2022. Their ‘sweep’ results checking sustainability claims are here
The Digital Services Act package
EASA's September 2021 update on the DSA here
And on the Better Internet for Children Strategy (BIK strategy) here
And on environmental claims and the new consumer agenda here
EU pages on the Farm to Fork strategy here
The EU’s Green Consumption Pledge Initiative focuses on 'non-food or mixed businesses with direct interaction with consumers'
And complements the EU Code of Conduct for Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices, in force July 2021
EU issues: an update on the progress of the Digital Services Act is here, on the Farm to Fork strategy (see below) here, and on 'Green transition' here
News and recent jury decisions (FR)
Latest – and significant – news on the EU Farm to Fork strategy here; EU pages on the strategy here
In the context of Europe’s ‘Beating Cancer Action Plan’, there will be some impact on self-regulation regarding HFSS food advertising, alcohol advertising and Audiovisual Media Service Directive (AVMDS) provisions on commercial communications, similar to the above ‘Farm to Fork’ implications. This relates to the new clauses introduced by the 2018/1808 Directive
The EU’s Green Consumption Pledge Initiative focuses on “non-food or mixed businesses with direct interaction with consumers” and complements the EU Code of conduct for responsible business and marketing practices that will focus on the food sector. This is planned for June 2021
And the ‘green sweep’ - an EU review of websites that make environmental claims - finds that ‘in 42% of cases the claims were exaggerated, false or deceptive and could potentially qualify as unfair commercial practices under EU rules. ‘Greenwashing' has increased as consumers increasingly seek to buy environmentally sound products.’
FOOD: the EU's Farm to Fork strategy (EN) underlines that the Commission "will develop an EU Code of conduct for responsible business and marketing practice accompanied with a monitoring framework. The Code will be developed with all relevant stakeholders" in Q2 2021
CARS: Following a series of complaints mainly relating to environmental claims and CO2 and fuel consumption statements, the Communication Center is asking its members quickly to raise awareness in the sector by sharing the one-pager in the appendix (FR) with a summary of the rules to be observed. Unofficial translation here.
The Belgian advertisers association UBA, food association FEVIA, and retail federation COMEOS launched the Belgian Pledge 3.0 regarding food advertising to children, involving stricter nutritional criteria, a remit extension to online influencers, and as of 2021, a trial period with a complaints mechanism which will involve JEP as the independent adjudicator.
The European Commission presented the Digital Services Act (DSA) that proposes a set of new EU wide rules for digital services, including on online advertising. According to the Commission, “the new framework will rebalance the rights and responsibilities of users, intermediary platforms, and public authorities and is based on European values - including the respect of human rights, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law”. The proposal is available here and press release here. The European Parliament and EU Member States will soon start discussing the proposal in the ordinary legislative procedure. In the first week of January, the EU Member States will meet in the margins of the Internal Market Working Party to discuss the proposal
UBA Unstereotype Charter (EN) re diversity and inclusion in advertising. UBA is the United Brands Association, formerly the Union Belge des Annonceurs, the Association of Belgian Advertisers
New DETIC Code re Cosmetics
http://www.g-regs.com/downloads/BECosmeticCodeDETIC2020.pdf (EN)
ICAS, EASA and CONARED Statement on the Importance of Responsible Advertising and COVID-19
General
International
B. Content Rules
Sector
General
International
C. Channel Rules
1. TV/Radio/VOD
Sector
General
International
2. Cinema/Press/Outdoor
Sector
General
International
3. Online Commercial Communications
Sector
SECTION C: ONLINE COMMERCIAL COMMUNICATIONS
European/ international issues
Commission's call for evidence on DSA minors protection guidelines; closes 30th Sept 2024
EASA on the above and two calls for tender August 8, 2024