Reding to fight ban on child TV adverts

Date: 09/11/00

By Peter Chapman

AUDIO-VISUAL Commissioner Viviane Reding has entered the fierce debate over advertising aimed at children, arguing against an EU-wide ban on the practice.

Her stance will disappoint the Swedish government, which has vowed to make this a top priority during its presidency of the Union in the first half of next year.

The advertising industry fears the country will try to include the measure in the 'TV Without Frontiers' directive, which is due for review next year. Sweden banned advertising aimed at children when commercial television was introduced in the country ten years ago.

Reding has asked a consultancy to examine the issue ahead of next year's review, with the results expected by the end of December. But she says champions of an EU-wide ban face an uphill struggle. "The majority of member states, as well as the Commissioner responsible, are against an outright ban," she said in a recent speech in Stockholm, insisting the burden of proof "lies with the supporters of a ban".

She said those calling for an embargo would have to prove it would boost the EU's single market for broadcasting services and not fail the same test as the attempted ban on tobacco advertising which was recently overturned by the European Court of Justice.

Reding added that supporters of a ban would also have to prove it would be 'proportionate' to its objective of protecting youngsters and not put television at a disadvantage to other media. "This implies that the measures would have to apply to all media, including the Internet. This hardly appears a realistic option," she said.

Audio-visual Commissioner Viviane Reding has entered the fierce debate over advertising aimed at children, arguing against an EU-wide ban on the practice.