EUROPEAN ADVERTISING INDUSTRY AGREES SELF-REGULATION CHARTER

The Advertising Information Group stood united alongside 12 European advertising industry bodies and 28 advertising self-regulatory bodies in signing a Charter on Best Practice underlining its commitment to effective self-regulation across the enlarged European Union (EU).

At today's Advertising Summit in Brussels, hosted by the European Advertising Standards Alliance, European associations representing advertisers, agencies and media, agreed the Charter, which offers a goal for self-regulatory systems throughout the Internal Market, to achieve a bigger and stronger self-regulatory network as the best way to maximise confidence in responsible advertising - for consumers, competitors and society.

The Summit launches a 'new era in advertising self-regulation' following the arrival of ten new EU Member States in May, offering an effective alternative to detailed legislation in the advertising sector.

Andrew Brown, Director of the Advertising Information Group, said:

"Through the Charter of Best Practice, the European advertising industry continues to demonstrate its commitment to effective and rigorous self-regulation of advertising. The Advertising Information Group fully supports the drive to ensure that the continuing acceptance of self-regulation by European consumers and governments can best be assured by the application of common principles in all self-regulatory systems across Europe."

For further information, contact Jim Rothwell on: +44 (0) 20 828 2771.

Notes to editors:

1. The Advertising Information Group is an industry wide grouping, shaped by the common principles and policies of the national advertising tripartites in the UK, Germany, Austria and Hungary, for the promotion of a genuine single market in commercial communications. Further information about the Advertising Information Group is available on our website at: www.aig.org

2. The Advertising Information Group exists to provide three key tasks: to improve the quality and effectiveness of tripartite representation at an EU (and national) level; to improve the quality and flow of information between the tripartites, their members and any interested parties in the wider industry; to improve the tripartite contribution to the development of effective self-regulation within the EU.

3. The Advertising Information Group is an industry member of the European Advertising Standards Alliance. Andrew Brown represents the Advertising Information Group on the EASA Executive Committee.

4. The European Advertising Standards Alliance is the single voice of advertising self-regulation. Its mission is to promote responsible advertising through best practice in self-regulation across the Single Market for the benefit of consumers and business. Further information is available at www.easa-alliance.org