Introduction

At present there are two official regulations referring to alcohol marketing and advertising in Bulgaria: the Health Law, implemented by the Ministry of Health and the Radio and TV Law, implemented by the Council for Electronic Media.

Both are statutory, covering electronic as well as printed media and treating with special attention marketing practices that are directly or indirectly targeted at young people. The Bulgarian Health Law stipulates a total ban on direct marketing and time limitations for indirect marketing of hard liquor in mass media; it also states that indirect advertisements of spirits and advertisements of wine and beer cannot be directed to underage or minors or be otherwise appealing to them (by appearing in youth programmes or printed publications; by using minors as participants, etc). In addition, it forbids associating alcohol consumption with sport or physical achievements or with driving as well as making false implications about any health, social or sexual benefits attributed to alcohol. The Radio and TV Law deals with the same restrictions; it authorizes the Council for Electronic Media (an independent regulatory body) to supervise electronic media concerning observance of all alcohol-marketing regulations (especially with respect to young people), to impose proprietary sanctions and warnings in cases of violation and to revoke media licenses for repeated violations of these normative acts. All results of the CEM procedures are publicly announced by the media. These are, in general, the ways in which the elements of the Council Recommendation are reflected in Bulgarian legislation.

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The text is derived from the ELSA project which is completed in 2007, but will be updated soon.