Introduction

In the Slovak Republic there are no specific regulations regarding alcohol marketing and advertising but there exist three different regulations which include regulations on alcohol marketing and advertising. The "Advertising Act" and "Act on Broadcasting and Retransmission" which are statutory and non-statutory "Ethical Principles on Advertising Practice Valid in the Slovak Republic". The statutory "Advertising Act" valid from 2001 replaced the act from 1996. This new act introduced legal definition of comparative advertisement and specified definition of misleading advertisement in commercial code to harmonize it with EU regulations. Alcohol advertising in this act is more liberal - it allows advertisement of alcoholic beverages but states several conditions regarding restrictions concerning minors and forbids alcoholic beverage advertising to suggest that consumption of alcohol has a positive effect to physical and mental performance. The search for violations and complaints can be performed by the State Veterinary and Food Administration which is also responsible for sanctions and can entail obligation to publish this decision in mass communication media. The statutory "Act on Broadcasting and Retransmission" regulates advertising practice in broadcasting (TV, radio - advertising, teleshopping, sponsoring etc.). Alcohol marketing and advertising in this act is also limited regarding minors and
giving the impression that alcohol consumption contributes to social and sexual success. The complaint and sanctioning system is carried out by supervisory authority Council for Broadcasting and Retransmission of the Slovak Republic Administration.

Basically, the advertising sector is in the Slovak legislation adapted to the extend, that regulations of the advertising in radio and TV broadcasting are in the Act No. 308/2000 Coll. on Broadcasting and Retransmission and other kinds of advertising amended by Act No. 147/2001 Coll. on Advertising. One exception is an adaptation of the comparative advertising sector which is included in the Act on Advertising but is applicable also for the radio and TV broadcasting sector. The non-statutory "Ethical Principles on Advertising Practice Valid in the Slovak Republic" were designed and adopted by the Slovak Advertising Standards Council in 2004. This ethical code in the area of alcohol advertisement regulates depiction of minors in advertisements; violence and restricts alcoholic beverage advertisement in media designed for youth. The Slovak Advertising Standards Council provides pre-launch advice, receives complaints and publishes results publicly.

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