Germany
Public Bodies
Kommission Jugendmedienschutz (KJM) (Commission for Protection of Minors in the Media)
The KJM - a federal authority established in 2003 - monitors the compliance with the interstate Treaty on Protection of Minors in the Media. It acts on violations in representation of the competent media authority of the 'Land' (state).
Self-regulation bodies
Deutscher Werberat (DW) (German Advertising Council)
The DW 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. It is competent for issues of taste and decency.
The DW is a member of EASA (European Advertising Standards Alliance).
Zentrale zur Bekämpfung unlauteren Wettbewerbs e. V. (WBZ) (Centre for Combating Unfair Competition)
It is competent for issues of misleading advertising and unfair competition.
Law
Rundfunkstaatsvertrag
Broadcasting Treaty last revised on 8/15 October 2004
It applies to TV and radio advertising and implements the TWF Directive.
- Art.15.1, Art. 44.1
Programmes for children may not be interrupted by advertising
- Art. 2, Art. 16.1
National public service broadcasters are not allowed to broadcast advertising after 20:00, on Sundays and national bank holidays. Regional public service broadcasters are not allowed to broadcast advertising at all
Full Text (English text not available)
Jugendmedienschutz-Staatsvertrag, JMStV
Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media, last revised on 8/15
October 2004
Applies to advertising on TV, radio and internet. Codifies rules on the protection of minors, which were previously implemented via self-regulatory codes.
- Art. 6 Advertising
Full Text (English text not available)
Gemeinsame Richtlinien der Landesmedienanstalten zur
Gewährleistung des Schutzes der Menschenwürde und des
Jugendschutzes (Jugendschutzrichtlinien - JuSchRiL)
Guidelines of the Media Authorities on the Protection of Human Dignity
and the Protection of Minors
(recently reviewed; adoption expected by summer 2005)
Those guidelines specify the rules set out in Art. 6 JMStV in more detail. The guidelines (in section 7) largely adopt the provisions of Article 16 of the TWF Directive, although not being completely identical.
Full Text (English text not available)
Gesetz gegen den unlauteren Wettbewerb
Unfair Competition Act last revised on 3 July 2004
- Art. 5 Misleading advertising
- Art. 3 Unfair competition
- Art. 4.2 Unfair practice are acts (exploit or are likely to exploit
the lack of commercial experience, in particular of children and
adolescents, or the credulity, fear or predicament of consumers)
Full Text (English text not available)
Self-regulation
Although the German advertising industry implicitly adheres to the ICC code, no general advertising code has been adopted.
Verhaltensregeln des Deutschen Werberats für die Werbung mit
und vor Kindern in Hörfunk und Fernsehen, 1998
Rules of conduct of the German Advertising Council on advertising
portraying or directed to children on radio and television, 1988
Verhaltensregeln des Deutschen Werberats über die
kommerzielle Kommunikation für alkoholhaltige Getränke, 1/01/
2005
Code of Conduct on Commercial Communication for Alcoholic Beverages 1
January 2005
- Art 2. Minors