OREANDA-NEWS. August 13, 2013. A meeting of the Committee on Information and Communication Technologies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, dedicated to monitoring the implementation of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Advertising" in Tashkent city and Samarkand region, was held.

It was attended by deputies of the Legislative Chamber, specialists of the Cabinet of Ministers, State Committee on privatization, de-monopolization and development of competition, relevant ministries and departments, representatives of advertising agencies, civil society institutions and the mass media.

The main purpose of this event was to analyze the execution of the Law "On Advertising", development of the advertising market and development of specific proposals on improving legislation in this sphere. It was noted that the adopted in 1998 Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Advertising" became an important milestone in formation and development of domestic advertising market, improving business and consumer culture. Today advertising is not only a means of promoting products and services, but also an important sphere of formation of public opinion, dynamically developing sector of national economy. Currently, in the advertising market of the country there are 494 advertising agencies, of which 202 are in the city of Tashkent, and 38 in Samarkand region.

Speakers emphasized that in implementing the requirements of the legislation in the sphere of advertising, as well as decisions of the committee of the Legislative Chamber on this issue, the khokimiyats of Samarkand region and Tashkent city adopted comprehensive program of measures aimed at radically improving the implementation of legislation in the sphere of advertising, further development of the advertising industry. Special commissions for placement of outdoor advertising were established, work on explanation of norms of legislation in this sphere is organized. The main attention was paid to promotion of spirit and provisions of legislation on advertising among advertisers, producers and distributors of advertising funds, promotion of advertising activities of domestic producers. Preventive measures on preventing offenses are being carry out in order to prevent and combat the negative effects, detect and deal with cases of unfair and hidden advertising on a systematic basis.

For the full data exchange, expedite the processing of requests for outdoor advertising, improve the efficiency of interaction of advertisers, producers and distributors of advertising with the state authorities, the project of creating a "one stop shop" that provides access to individuals and legal entities to information on services and functions of state governmental bodies at places in the sphere of outdoor advertising is implemented.

Modern high-tech means of advertising are actively introduced into the sphere of advertising. In particular, in the city of Tashkent, 32 percent of the outdoor advertising function with LED and LCD-screen, this indicator on Samarkand region is more than 10 percent. The statistical analysis (Tashkent city and Samarkand region) shows that 70 percent of the outdoor advertising is produced in national language, 80 percent of all advertising sales – advertising of goods and services of domestic producers, more than 50 percent is social advertising.

However, analysis of distribution and dissemination of promotional materials indicates that some producers of advertising and advertisers permit use of unfair methods of advertising and other informational materials to promote their products and services. In particular, the departments of Antimonopoly Committee at places during 2012 and the first six months of 2013 conducted 730 studies (from them 84 in Tashkent city. 21 in Samarkand region). As the results of monitoring 377 cases of violation of the requirements of legislation in the sphere of advertising (including 76 in Tashkent city, 30 in Samarkand region) were recorded. Typical violations include dissemination of false advertising, non-compliance with the requirements of Regulation on advertising, restrictions on advertising in time on television, as well as no provision of materials relating to the advertising activities of business entities.

At the meeting, it was also noted that with the development of modern ICT and media – technologies, emergence of new products and products troubles are occuring in identifying the definition of advertising with the concepts of new communication of marketing. From this point of view, the actual problem is the continuous improvement of legislation on advertising, to bring legal practice in line with the requirements of time, strict implementation of existing legislation, improving the efficiency of parliamentary and deputy control.

The heads and specialists of the State Committee on privatization, de-monopolization and development of competition provided detailed information on current state and prospects of advertising industry, the steps taken by the Committee on further development of advertising market, actual issues of improvement of legislation in this sphere. It was noted that from the point of view of public interest, it is very important to legislatively ensure that the promotional activities of economic subjects wore a socially-oriented nature, corresponded the norms and traditions of public morality and national mentality.

During the meeting, representatives of parliamentary factions of political parties and the deputy group of the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan made suggestions and recommendations on unconditional and full implementation of requirements of the Law "On Advertising". Following the discussion, decision of the committee aimed at further improving the advertising legislation and its legal enforcement practice was taken.