Representatives of the Serbia’s Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) had the opportunity to learn more on commercial communications and explore possibilities for co-regulation and self-regulation in various areas.

The training was designed to provide an overview of the European regulatory framework, focusing on definitions, types, and general rules of audiovisual commercial communications under the EU Audio-Visual Media Services Directive (AVMSD 2018). Key discussions included specific regulations for foods and beverages with certain nutritional components and the protection of minors in advertising.

The Council of Europe has issued important guidelines to help its member states ensure that media content, including advertisements, meets high standards. These recommendations focus on keeping media safe and fair, especially for children, while upholding Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects freedom of expression.

The training also included representatives of the Ministry for Information and Telecommunication and the Ministry for Trade in Serbia.

The event  was organised by the Division for Cooperation on Freedom of Expression, through the action “Protecting freedom of expression and of the media in Serbia (PROFREX)”, which is part of the joint European Union - Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.”