Car manufacturers are facing the threat of EU legislation that would force them to set aside space in print advertising to detail information on fuel efficiency, according to German reports.
WirtschaftsWoche said that the European Commission plans to make the rules public by the end of the year.
The news follows claims in October in the European parliament that plans for a voluntary code of conduct would fall short of what was needed.
Speaking in a debate over legislation to cap average emissions from all new cars in the EU at 125g/km by 2015, MEP Chris Davies said: “The car industry is supposed to be drawing up a voluntary code of advertising conduct but we have had our fingers burnt through voluntary codes and any such measure should be regarded with suspicion.
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“It is time that advertisements give consumers more details of the fuel economy and emission performance of the vehicles on sale. This information should be up front and not buried away in the small print. We need to encourage car makers to compete on the basis that their cars are safe and stylish and environmentally-friendly.”
Volkswagen passenger car marketing chief Jochen Sengpiehl told WirtschaftsWoche such legislation would “massively curtail our freedom to advertise.”
