Advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products

PURPOSE : to address economic operations regarding tobacco advertising in certain media and tobacco related sponsorship. CONTENT : There are differences between Member States laws on tobacco advertising and sponsorship. Such advertising in certain cases crosses Member States' borders. Differences in national legislation are likely to give rise to increasing barriers to free movement of products. - To eliminate these barriers and promote public health, the rules on tobacco advertising need to be approximated. Tobacco advertising is to be limited to those magazines and periodicals which are not intended for the general public such as trade journals and to publications published and printed in third countries, which are not principally intended for the Community market. - Sponsorship is prohibited only for those activities or events with crossborder effects, without regulating sponsorship on a purely national level, which otherwise may be a means of circumventing the restrictions placed on direct forms of advertising. - Tobacco advertising by means of information society services and radio broadcasting should be regulated at the Community level and is prohibited. - Free distribution of tobacco in the context of sponsorship of events is prohibited. - There are provisions for laying down penalties applicable to infringements of these rules. Persons or organisations which, according to national legislation can justify a legitimate interest in the suppression of advertising may take legal action. - The Directive must be transposed by 31 July 2005. �