Germany

[DE] Regional Media Authorities Prohibit Federal Government's “Euro” advertisement

IRIS 1997-10:1/29

Valentina Becker

Institute of European Media Law (EMR), Saarbrücken/Brussels

The regional media authorities have announced that an advertisement for the "Euro" (a single European currency) produced by the Federal Government in conjunction with the European Parliament and the European Commission is not permissible as it exceeds the limits for political advertising.

The private German broadcasting companies Pro Sieben and Kabel 1 had submitted two advertisements on the euro to the relevant working party on advertising at the regional media authorities to check whether they were admissible at law. One of the two was declared inadmissible as it exceeded the limits for political advertising. Under Section 7, paragraph 7 of the Agreement between the Federal States on Broadcasting, political advertising is not permitted. The only exception to this rule is the broadcasting of election campaign advertisements for political parties; this is regulated in precise detail in each region's legislation on the media.

The regional media authorities hold that the advertisement designed to advertise the euro cannot be broadcast as political advertising as its content refers to the construction of the Federal Republic of Germany and European integration. Moreover, it shows the former head of government of the Federal Republic and the present Federal Chancellor, Helmut Kohl. It is only at the end of the advertisement that the euro is mentioned. The second advertisement submitted for verification was deemed permissible as its content dealt exclusively with the economic aspects of the euro.

Television operators have been notified by the regional media authorities of the ban on the advertisements.