WFA welcomes ‘modernising’ Euro TV rules

The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) has today welcomed the decision of European governments to adopt the Audiovisual Media Services Directive to replace the existing Television Without Frontiers. The WFA says the new rules will modernise European Union broadcasting laws, particularly concerning technological developments in advertising.

The new directive, which is expected to come into force in the second half of 2009, will introduce new advertising rules for all TV and TV-like services, including interactive TV, video-on-demand, internet protocol TV (IPTV) and mobile television.

The body says changes in the TV landscape have challenged established advertising models. WFA managing director Stephan Loerke says: “WFA has consistently called for better, not more, advertising. We see the new directive as a milestone on the way towards realising this vision.”

He says it is important that the role of self-regulation and co-regulation for the first time in EU legislation. “Self-regulation in the advertising sector has consistently added an additional layer of consumer protection to European rules,” says Loerke. “It is important the value of self-regulation is now formally recognised to ensure the necessary support for further improvements.”

The directive still needs to be formally approved by the European Parliament.