The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has joined MEPs and representatives of the European Commission, WHO and European health NGOs for a discussion in the European Parliament on how the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive can be improved to protect children from the advertising and marketing of alcohol and unhealthy foods.
The RCP is pleased to support a joint statement led by the European Public Health Alliance (the RCP is a member), which makes three key recommendations to improve the directive:
- Minimise young people’s exposure to marketing of health-harmful products.
- Exclude alcohol and foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) from product placement and sponsorship.
- Ensure that member states can effectively limit broadcasts from other countries on public health grounds.