Europe plans to place carmakers under same advertising rules as cigarette makers

The European Commission is expected to propose new rules affecting new-car advertising in the 27 nations that make up the European Union, according to the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA).

The executive branch of the European Union is likely to require a minimum of 20 percent of the space of new-vehicle advertising be devoted to information on fuel economy and C02 emissions, states a release. The rules would be expected to cover magazine, television and billboard advertising or point-of-sale displays in showrooms.

The new requirements are based on measures imposed on cigarette producers, and are being pushed by Parliament, which cites a “dissatisfaction” with car assemblers' compliance with more general guidelines, in place since 1999, which call on them to include information [regarding fuel economy and C02 emissions] that is "easily legible and no less pronounced than the main part of the advertising message" and "easily understood, even when read briefly."

The German media has come out against the proposal and German car manufacturers are expected to oppose it as well. French and Italian car manufacturers, which generally make cars that are smaller, lighter and use less gas than the German-made cars, have not yet stated an opinion, states SEMA.