The Government adopts Recommendations for the transparency of state media advertising

8. 12. 2023

Government Communication Office

On 7 December 2023, the Government adopted Recommendations for advertising campaigns by ministries, bodies within ministries and government offices (hereinafter: the Recommendations). Their main purpose is to enforce the transparency of advertising practices that make use of public funds as well as the requirements for transparent and non-discriminatory allocation of advertising funds to be introduced by the European Media Freedom Act.

With the Recommendations, the Government regulates the advertising by ministries, government offices and bodies within ministries as advertisers in an advertising process that follows the principles of legality, truthfulness, transparency, objectivity, cost-effectiveness and respect for media freedom and pluralism.

The purpose of these Recommendations is to ensure that the ministries, government offices and bodies within ministries act with the due diligence to ensure transparent and efficient use of public funds, the measurability and monitoring of results, and to act responsibly in the media buying process, thereby also justifying the use of budget funds and the efficiency of media buying.

Accordingly, the material contains certain safeguards against misuse. For advertising campaigns exceeding EUR 50,000 in value including VAT, state authorities must obtain the Government’s approval. The Government is also introducing transparent reporting by ministries, bodies within ministries and government offices by requesting that they publish on their websites annual reports of the advertising campaigns carried out. State authorities will thus publish their annual reports of conducted advertising campaigns for the first time for calendar year 2023. The Government also recommends to public agencies and public funds conducting advertising campaigns that they apply the adopted Recommendations in the process.

The Recommendations also set out the use of the national brand "I FEEL SLOVENIA" in line with Slovenia's Brand Handbook and the Overall Slovenia Brand Design Manual for the trademark and service mark "I FEEL SLOVENIA" in advertising aimed at foreign audiences and at international events organised by the Government or ministries, as well as in advertising campaigns aimed at the Slovenian public.