Basic Principles to be Followed in Commercial Advertisements and Announcements

Dear Member,

According to the official letter received from the Directorate of Trade of the Ministry of Economy and Energy of the TRNC, the Commercial Advertisements and Announcements Regulation and the Advertising Supervision Board Regulation, prepared in accordance with Articles 23 and 23A of the Consumer Protection Law No. 40/2003, have been put into effect, and the Advertising Supervision Board has been established within the scope of this legislation.

The legislation in question establishes procedures and principles for consumer protection, ensuring compliance of commercial advertisements and announcements with the law, and preventing misleading advertising; it also regulates the rules that advertisers, advertising media organizations, and natural and legal persons engaged in advertising activities must comply with. The Advertising Supervisory Board may issue warnings, order the cessation of advertising, demand correction, and/or impose administrative fines for advertisements and announcements found to be in violation of regulations.

According to Article 6 of the Regulation on Commercial Advertising and Announcements, the basic principles for commercial advertising and announcements are as follows:

  1. Advertisements must comply with the law, general morality, and be truthful and honest.
  2. Every advertisement should adhere to the principles of fair competition, which are widely accepted in the business world, and be conducted with a sense of economic and social responsibility.
  3. Advertisements must not contain any presentation or description of practices or situations where safety regulations are not observed and which may pose a danger to human safety.
  4. Regardless of its form or the medium in which it is published, an advertisement must be clearly understood to be an ‘advertisement’. Covert advertising is not allowed.
  5. Advertisements must be displayed in print media in a legible size; in visual media only verbally and/or in written form ensuring legibility; and in oral media by being clearly readable.
  6. Advertisements should not be made in a way that undermines human dignity.
  7. Advertisements should not be made in a way that infringes on personal rights.
  8. Advertisements may not depict or portray anyone’s private or social life without prior permission. Advertisements may not display or mention anyone’s private property in a way that implies personal endorsement without prior permission.
  9. Advertisements may not be disruptive to public order; they may not contain elements that incite, condone, encourage, or support acts of violence; and they may not promote illegal or reprehensible behavior.
  10. Advertisements cannot be based on, support, promote, defame, or exploit discrimination based on language, religion, race, sect, philosophical belief, or gender.

All our members are kindly requested to exercise maximum sensitivity to these fundamental principles in their commercial promotions and posts in order to avoid facing penalties.

Best regards,

Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce

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