The European Parliament will start voting on the 03 October on the revision of the Television Without Frontiers. Despite much debate on the issue, we are still far from implementing an audiovisual framework that would fully protect under age children.
The 5 health organisation consider the revision of the TWFD as a key opportunity to impact on the consumption of unhealth food, tobacco products and alcohol - which are three of the main causes of ill health and contributors to the chronic disease burden in Europe.
Although regulating advertising alone cannot solve the obesity epidemic or harmful alcohol consumption, legal limits on advertising are recommended by the World Health Organisation as not only the least expensive measures but the most effective policies to protect minors.
EPHA, the European Heart Network, Eurocare, the Pharmaceutical Group of the EU, and the European Respiratory Society are calling for the establishment of the following objective parameters which are easy to monitor and implement:
There should be no audiovisual commercial communications for unhealthy food products (i.e. high in fat, sugar or salt) from 6.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. This becomes the standard watershed across Europe. Nutrient profiles will establish parameters for unhealthy food products.
In addition to a ban on audiovisual commercial communications for alcoholic beverages aimed at minors, Article 15 needs a new rule setting a general 6am-9pm watershed and Article 3h to be expanded to include alcoholic beverages.
Surreptitious advertising, sponsorship and product placement of unhealthy foods, alcohol, tobacco and medicinal products must be banned.
EPHA suggestions for amendments
Joint declaration attached
