Austria

Public Bodies

Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit (Ministry of Economic and Labour Affairs)

The Ministry is responsible for the enforcement of economic legislation, the media, advertising, unfair competition.

Self-regulation bodies

Österreichischer Werberat (ÖWR) (Austrian Advertising Council)

The ÖWR has been set up and funded by the advertising industry to apply code and rules regulating advertising content. It receives complaints for investigation, and in case the complaint is upheld, the advertiser will be requested to withdraw or amend the advertisement.

The ÖWR is a member of EASA (European Advertising Standards Alliance).

Click here

Law

Bundesgesetz über den Österreichischen Rundfunk (ORF-Gesetz, ORF-G)
Federal Law on the ORF, the Austrian public broadcasting company (last amended in 2001)

- Sec. 5f Advertising to minors

Full text (English text not available)

Kabel und SatelleterundfunkG (KSRG)
Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Act

- Sec. 27, para 1 Advertising to minors

Full text (English text not available)

Bundesgesetz gegen den unlauteren Wettbewerb, UWG, 1984
Unfair Competition Act

Contains general advertising regulations (misleading advertising, unfair competition; advertising including prices, free gifts etc.) but no specific rules relating to children.

Full text (English text not available)

Self-regulation

Österreichischer Selbstbeschränkungskodex, 1995
Austrian Self-Regulatory Code

The self-regulatory code applies to all media. TV is mostly covered by the ORF Guidelines. The Code contains, apart from general rules, specific rules:

- Section 2.1 (Alcohol advertising)
- Section 2.3 (Advertising to children)

Full text

ORF-Richtlinien für Werbung und Sponsoring im Fernsehen, 1 January 2005
Internal Guidelines of the public broadcaster ORF on Advertising and Sponsoring on Television

- Section 11 (Protection of minors)

Full text (English version not available)

Updated: July 2005