Publishers condemn European Parliament’s initiative to include mandatory information in advertising

BRUSSELS, 6 May - European newspaper and magazine publishers condemn the European Parliament’s adoption on Tuesday of an amendment which requires the inclusion mandatory information on energy consumption in advertisements for household appliances and other energy related products.

With a severe and worrying side-effect to the press and media, this amendment intensifies the European Commission’s proposal on the indication by labelling and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by energy-related products.

The directive in force has put in place an efficient and successful system to inform consumers in a profound manner prior to the purchase of an energy-using product. According to the legislation in force, information relating to energy consumption has to be brought to the attention of the consumer by means of a fiche and a label directly in the showroom or indirectly by any means of distance selling.   

“ENPA and FAEP are very disappointed that MEPs have decided to accept an additional requirement for product information to be included in advertisements, contrary to the original proposal of the Commission. The existing system of informing citizens at points of sale or on the websites of retailers or producers has worked well thus far. MEPs have simply failed to see or consider the harmful effect of this additional requirement to the advertising revenues of print and online newspapers and magazines” stated Directors Valtteri Niiranen (ENPA) and David Mahon (FAEP).  

At this time of economic crisis and structural changes in the media it should be noted that advertising revenues have declined from between 10% and 30 percent in all EU Member States: press titles are already being closed, staff laid off and editorial output reduced.   It is the press which enlightens consumers about the damaging effects of non-energy efficient products and raises awareness in society about climate change and related issues like no other media. Advertising is an essential source of finance for a free and independent press, in print and online. The press will therefore lose vital revenue and citizens will lose rich editorial information about environmental issues as a result of this decision by the European Parliament.