Media Study - Medija centar Beograd

4.7.2 Serbia
o Medicine related rules 100
Articles 94 – 99 of the Law on Advertising reflect the sponsorship rules of the AVMS – Directive.
4.8 Product Placement Rules
4.8.1 AVMS-Directive
The adoption of the new AVMS Directive will represent the end of the current ban on product placement which
exists in most EU countries.
‘product placement’ is defined as any form of audiovisual commercial communication consisting of the inclusion
of or reference to a product, a service or the trade mark thereof so that it is featured within audiovisual media
services, normally in return for payment or for similar consideration.
It is considered that the permission of product placement should help the European audiovisual industry to
become more competitive, especially vis-à-vis the USA.
Product placement is still prohibited as a general rule, but there are two important exceptions which allow for
product placement:
movies, series, entertainment and sports programmes (those not aimed at children);
in cases where no payment is made, but certain foods are merely presented free of charge.
100 The sponsorship of audiovisual media services by undertakings whose activities include the manufacture or sale
of medicinal products and medical treatment may promote the name or the image of the undertaking. Such
sponsorships may not promote specific medicinal products or medical treatments available only on prescription in
the Member State within whose jurisdiction the media service provider falls.
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