Deputies want fair play for advertising

Comparative publicity that denigrates or disparages competition will be banned, as ruled by deputies on Tuesday, who enacted a Government Ordinance modifying the Advertising Law. The ordinance is to be submitted to the Senate for endorsement, as well. At the same time, the Chamber of Deputies rejected two drafts intended to modify the advertising law. The first draft, submitted by PSD (Social Democrat Party) deputy Nicu Spiridon, proposed to prohibit tempting consumers with prizes in order to make them purchase a specific product or service. The deputies said promotional campaigns offering prizes could not be considered likely to mislead consumers and therefore be assimilated to misleading publicity. The Chamber of Deputies also considered that if the advertising law were amended as intended by the originator, the accession negotiations for the “Consumer and health protection” chapter would need to be reopened. The second draft rejected by the deputies came from Deputy Sali Negiat, who represents the national minorities group. He wanted alcoholic beverages and tobacco advertising by means of public transportation system’s vehicles, or by billboards, as well as on radio and TV between 5 a.m. to 12 a.m., banned. ZF