European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA)

In 1991 Sir Leon Brittan, then Vice-President of the European Commission & Commissioner for competition policy, challenged the advertising industry to find ways of solving problems raised by the creation of the Single Market by means of self-regulation, thus avoiding the need for detailed legislation, opposed by the industry. Later that year, advertising industry representatives from across Europe agreed to give formal, independent status to a hitherto ad hoc group of national self-regulatory bodies (SROs) from a number of European countries. The new body, set up in 1992, was called the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA). At a 2nd conference in 1997, representatives of the ad industry endorsed EASA's progress and achievements and in 1998 Sir Leon Brittan acknowledged that its work "had reduced the perceived need for legislative intervention". In 2002, EASA was restructured as a partnership between the national SROs, which had hitherto formed its exclusive membership, European advertising industry associations (advertisers, agencies and the media). The Charter was drafted by (EASA) on behalf of World Federation of Advertisers, European Association of Communications Agencies, Association of Commercial Television in Europe, European Newspaper Publishers Association, European Publishers Council, Association Européenne des Radios, European Association of Directory and Database Publishers, European Federation of Magazines Publishers, Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe, European Association of Radio & Television Sales Houses, Advertising Information Group, International Advertising Association and the European Advertising Standards Alliance on behalf of its member Self-Regulatory Organisations.