ICC policy statement on Freedom of Commercial Communications

  • 11 November 2016

The purpose of this policy statement is to present the position of world business on the issue of the freedom of commercial communication.

This policy statement is an updated version of the ICC policy statement on Freedom of Commercial Communication (240-474), that was published by the Marketing Commission in 2003 and has been subsequently updated following a mandate by the Commission at its January 2014 meeting.

The policy statement outlines ICC principles related to this freedom, to self-regulation and to business recognition of its responsibility to consumers in providing legal, decent, honest and truthful commercial communications. Freedom of advertising and commercial speech, underpinned by effective self-regulation, are cornerstones of the market economy, and should be vigorously protected and promoted by ICC, as well as governments and business associations alike.