The European Commission is expected to propose later this week new rules affecting new-car advertising in the 27 nations that make up the European Union. The executive branch of the European Union is likely to require a minimum of 20% of the space of new-vehicle advertising be devoted to information on fuel economy and C02 emissions. The regulations would cover any magazine, television and billboard advertising or point-of-sale displays in showrooms.
The new requirements, mirrored after measures imposed on cigarette producers, is being pushed by the Commission and a number of members of the Parliament citing 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.
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