Agreement on advertising and marketing of alcohol beverages

In 2013 in Belgium, a second revision of the “Covenant on advertising and marketing of alcohol beverages” was made together and co-signed with the Minister of Health, the Jury voor Ethische Praktijken inzake reclame (Advertising Ethics Committee) and the consumer organisations, Crioc and Test Achats and came into force in May 2013.The current Belgian Covenant is based on the Arnoldus Group self-regulatory Code of Conduct that was set up by the Belgian Brewers and then became applicable to other alcohol beverages in 2005.

In 2019, the Covenant was amended again in the spring. Minister of Public Health, Mrs Maggie De Block, signed with the Advertising Council, Vinum Et Spiritus and Belgian Brewers an addendum that entered into force on September 2.

What are the main changes ?

From that date on, non-compliance is subject to higher fines, in case of repeated infringements the JEP can impose fines of up to 10,000 euro depending on, among other things, the size and scope of the campaign, the size of the advertiser, the severity of the infringement, the degree of cooperation of an advertiser, the number of violations of the Covenant during the past year and the recidivism (= violation of the same article of the Covenant).

NPO Belgian Brewers and Vinum Et Spiritus also committed themselves to impose on their respective members that companies wishing to launch a national advertising campaign for alcoholic beverages for radio, television or cinema now first have to seek advice from the JEP prior to launching the campaign. This advice will be treated in accordance with the JEP regulations. Until September 2019 this advice could be asked for voluntarily.

Furthermore a representative of the Federal Public Health Service is invited to the JEP meetings with regard to complaint files concerning advertising for alcoholic beverages.