| Following the reported intentions of the Swedish Government
to introduce a European ban on TV advertising to children, the
CP was set up as a specific programme of activity on the issue.
The CP began to be implemented during 1999 in co-operation with
complementary efforts by European trade bodies and companies.
Apart from setting-up and launching a European All Party
Group on Commercial Communication, launched in the European
Parliament in February 2000, the CP's greatest achievement
was the week-long exhibition on broadcasting and advertising
in the European Parliament in September 2000. During this week,
other activities were also undertaken, most of them lively and
well attended by EP and EC officials, academics, journalists
and consumer group delegates.
The exhibition aimed to foster a greater understanding of the
high quality and wide diversity of commercially funded children's
television in Europe today and that the quality and diversity
are under threat from several legislative and policy proposals
around Europe to ban or further restrict children's advertising.
The Exhibition therefore also sought to show by example that such
proposals are misconceived, misguided and damaging to the
European Union's economy and culture.
At the UK level, similar activities are carried out by the
Advertising Association's Food Advertising Unit. If you would
like to find out more about advertising to kids, and in
particular food advertising on TV, please visit
www.fau.org.uk
|