Press Release: Consumers: New EU rules crackdown on misleading advertising and aggressive sales practices

Just two weeks before Christmas, sweeping new EU rules to crackdown on misleading advertising and aggressive selling practices - including a ban on fake 'free' offers and a ban on 'pester power' advertising (direct exhortation) to children on the Internet - will come into force across the EU (December 12 2007). These restrictions are part of an extensive black list of schemes which are banned by the new Unfair Commercial Practices (UCP) Directive – targeting in particular a 'dirty dozen' of the some of the most abusive practices, from bait advertising, to pyramid schemes, advertorials and false curative health claims which are used against consumers. The UCP Directive substantially reinforces existing EU standards on misleading advertising and sets new EU standards against aggressive commercial practices - covering harassment, coercion, undue influence. The Directive aims to boost consumer and business confidence in the Single Market so people can fully benefit from shopping cross border. To date only 14 Member States have implemented the directive. The Commission has launched proceedings against Member States that have not yet adopted any national rules.

European Commission: MEMO/07/572: unfair commercial practices Directive. questions and answers http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/07/572&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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