Source: http://rychlicki.net/en/issue/advertising-law/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 04:30:00+00:00

Document:
The Voivodeship Administrative Court in Łódź in its judgment of 29 June 2012 case file I SA/Łd 657/12 held that the agreement that provides the website to use for advertisers is deemed as the unnamed contract and is similar in its provisions to a contract of tenancy as defined in the Article 693 of the Civil Code – CC – (in Polish: Kodeks Cywilny) of 23 April 1964, published in Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No. 16, item 93, with subsequent amendments.
Article 693. § 1. By a contract of tenancy, the landlord shall assume the obligation to give a thing to the tenant for use and the collection of fruits for definite or indefinite time, and the tenant shall assume the obligation to pay to the landlord the rent agreed upon.
The Court decided that the income from advertising should be taxed like tenancy contracts or leases, which allows a taxpayer to choose a lump sum settlement on registered revenues.
Categories: advertising law | Art. 10(1) PITA | computer law | e-adverstising | e-law issues | income tax | legal regulations on computer networks | Polish Act on Personal Income Tax | Polish Civil Code | tax law | Voivodeship Administrative Court.
The Court of Competition and Consumer Protection in its judgment of 23 February 2006 case file XVII Ama 118/04 published in the Official Journal of President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection of 2006/2 p. 37, held that respect for others is considered as the essence of the concept of good customs in contractual relationships between business and consumers. Such respect should be expressed in proper information how the consumer could exercise its rights. The professionals and entrepreneurs should not to use their privileged position, and they should deal with the consumer as a partner in every agreement. Misinformation, confusion, misconception and the use of consumers’ ignorance or naivete were deemed contrary to good customs.
Categories: advertising law | competition law | consumer protection law | Directive 2005/29/EC | Polish Court of Competition and Consumer Protection | Polish courts.
The Polish financial services company decided to increase sales of its services, by providing to clients and potential clients with different types of advertising materials bearing its logo. These materials are worth no more than 100 PLN each and are distributed to customers and potential customers during promotional events, sponsored events, as well as individual meetings.
The Company requested for individual tax interpretation. In its view, costs of these advertising materials could be included in cost of revenue. The Director of the Tax Chamber in Warsaw in its decision of 8 July 2010 case file IPPB5/423-249/10-4/PS ruled that in this case it is important to determine whether the disputed expenses are costs of advertising, or representation. The value of gifts does not decide whether these expenditures are deemed as advertising or representation. The circle of bestowed persons and the circumstances in which these materials were distributed are the most important factors.
The Director considered that the expenditure incurred on the purchase of low value advertising materials that were handed over to customers or potential customers in events such as public fairs, promotional events, etc. may be deemed as deductible costs within the meaning of Article 15(1) of the Polish Act of 15 February 1992 on the Legal Entities’ Income Tax – LEIT – (in Polish: Ustawa o podatku dochodowym od osób prawnych) consolidated text published in Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) of 2000, No. 54, item 654 with subsequent amendments.
1. The deductible costs shall be all costs incurred in order to derive revenues, with the exception of costs referred to in Article 16(1) Costs incurred in foreign currencies shall be converted into Polish zlotys in accordance with the average exchange rates as announced by the National Bank of Poland on the date when the cost was incurred. If costs are denominated in foreign currencies, and there is a difference in the currency exchange rates between the date of entering those costs in the books and the date of payment, those costs shall be increased or reduced, as appropriate, by the differences arising from the application of the currency selling rate as at the date of payment, set by the bank, whose services were used by the person who incurred the cost, and the application of the average exchange rate as announced by the National Bank of Poland on the date of entering the costs in the books.
In the case of the transfer of gifts of higher value to selected contractors or potential contractors in order to create the best impression, the expenditures for the purchase of these gifts have representative nature, and thus are not deductible under the Article 16(1) point 28 of the LEIT.
Categories: advertising law | Art. 16(1) LEIT | definition of advertising | income tax | Polish Act on Legal Persons Income Tax | Tax Chamber | tax law.
The Polish company offers its partners and customers different products free of charge during its advertising actions. These are coffee and coffee machines or gadgets such as umbrellas, pens, mugs and other gifts such as shirts and other stuff with the logo of the company. The Company has considered whether this type of gratuitous transfer of goods is a transaction subject to VAT tax in accordance with article 5(1)(i) and 7(2)(3) of the Act on Goods and Services Tax – GSTA – (in Polish: ustawa o podatku od towarów i usług) of 11 March 2004, Journal od Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No. 54, item 535 with subsequent amendments.
– where the amount of input tax on those transactions was wholly or partially deductible from the amount of output tax.
3. The provision of paragraph 2 shall not apply to printed advertising and informational materials, gifts of small value or samples.
The Voivodeship Administrative Court in Poznań in its judgment of 10 August 2010 case file I SA/Po 454/10 held that such transfer of goods is not subject to VAT.
Categories: Art. 5 GSTA | Art. 7 GSTA | definition of advertising | Polish Act on Goods and Services Tax | Voivodeship Administrative Court.
An entrepreneur has placed a large billboard without obtaining a permit for the construction work. The Supreme Administrative Court in its judgment of 29 July 2010 case file II OSK 1234/09 held that when dealing with an object, which must be built on a proper ground, this is a construction work that requires permits for construction.The fact that this structure can be moved does not change a fact that it is a construction fixed to the ground, requiring a building permit.
Categories: advertising law | Polish Supreme Administrative Court.
This is the continuation of a story described in “Advertising of pharmaceuticals, case II GSK 461/09“. The Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw in its judgment case file VI SA/ Wa 1136/10 canceled the decision of the Main Pharmaceutical Inspector (MPI) that ordered the Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning (in Polish: Federacja na rzecz Kobiet i Planowania Rodziny) to remove information about different contraceptions. Such information was published on the website operated by the PFWFP. Being bound by a legal interpretation issued by the Supreme Administrative Court, the VAC ruled that the mere use of the name of a pharmaceutical product does not prejudge that such message is advertising. One cannot automatically equate information on medicinal products with an incentive to use them.
See also “Polish regulations on pharmaceutical trade marks” and “Polish case law on advertising of pharmaceuticals“.
Categories: advertising law | Art. 52 PHL | Art. 57 PHL | e-adverstising | pharmaceutical products advertising | Polish Act on Pharmaceutical Law | Voivodeship Administrative Court.
The Main Pharmaceutical Inspector (MPI) questioned the legality of a few ads that were aired on different TV channels. See for instance the decision of the the Main Pharmaceutical Inspector of 4 March 2010, no. GIF-P-R-450/147-3/ZW/09/10, with regard to indication of a sponsor in “The producer of Guajazyl – cough syrup, invites to a forecast” (in Polish “Na prognozę pogody zaprasza producent Guajazylu – wykrztuśnego syropu na kaszel”), the decision of the the Main Pharmaceutical Inspector of 10 March 2010, no. GIF-P-R-450/141-4/ZW/09/10, with regard to indication of a sponsor in “The producer of Pectosol – herbal preparation on cough, invites to a program” (in Polish: “Na program zaprasza producent Pectosolu – ziołowego preparatu na kaszel”), the decision of the the Main Pharmaceutical Inspector of 6 January 2010, no GIF-P-R-450/126-3/ZW/09/10, with regard to indication of a sponsor in “The producer of DEXAPINI invites to a forecast. DEXAPINI – goodnight without a cough” (in Polish: “Na prognozę pogody zaprasza producent syropu DEXAPINI. DEXAPINI – dobranoc bez kaszlu”).
According to the provisions of Article 17(1) of the Polish Act of 29 December 1992 on Broadcasting – LOB – (in Polish: Ustawa o radiofonii i telewizji), published in Journal of Law (Dziennik Ustaw) of 1993, No 7 item 34, consolidated text of 19 Novemver 2004, Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No 253 item 2531, with subsequent amendments, sponsored programmes or other broadcasts shall be identified as such by sponsor credits at their beginning or end. Such credits may specify only the sponsor’s name, business name, trademark or contain some other identification of the business operator or its business activities, the image of a single product or service. According to article 4 pt. 7 of the LOB, the “sponsorship” shall mean a direct or indirect financing or co-financing of the production or transmission of a programme or other broadcasts by an entity other than the broadcaster or producer of the programme, with a view to establishing, enhancing or promoting the renown of the name, business name, product or service, trademark. The MPI held that publishing of information relating to the product, not the manufacturer’s is basically beyond the scope of sponsorship. The MPI ruled that these sponsorship spots were illegal advertising of the medicinal products.
Categories: advertising law | Art. 17(1) LOB | Art. 52 PHL | broadcasting law | case law | Main Pharmaceutical Inspector | pharmaceutical law | pharmaceutical products advertising | Polish Act on Broadcasting | Polish Act on Pharmaceutical Law.
The District Court in Wrocław in its judgment of 18 March 2010 case file I C 1272/09 ruled that the advertising of one of the Polish banks that promoted payment cards in such a way that it used profile pictures of users of nasza-klasa.pl website infringed their personal rights. A user who logged into his or her profile was presented with an advertising that showed his or her face/image placed on credit card together with a slogan “your card for your personal account may look like this”. The Court held that users agreed to the provisions of the terms of service, but the permission to use their pictures concerned solely the purpose of social networking, not advertising. The Court ordered the owner of nasza-klasa.pl to pay the plaintiff 5000 PLN as a compensation. This judgment is not yet final.
Categories: advertising law | Art. 23 CC | Art. 24 CC | Art. 81 ARNR | case law | computer law | e-law issues | image | ISP liability | legal regulations on computer networks | personal rights or interests | Polish Act on Authors Rights and Neighbouring Rights | Polish Civil Code | Polish District Court | right of publicity.
On June 2009, the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza published an article (sort of an advertorial) containing images that depicted packagings of Stoperan and Septolete medicines, together with a note instructing that the leaflet attached to these products should also be read.
The Main Pharmaceutical Inspector (MPI) ordered the immediate cessation of such actions in a decision of 4 September 2009, case no. GIF-P-R-450-81-4/JD/09, PDF file. The MPI has fund that the publication did not meet the requirements set in the Polish pharmaceutical law with regard to advertising of medicinal products. It was not commissioned by the responsible entity and it did not contain the detailed characteristics of the products or the required and established warnings.
Agora S.A., the owner of Gazeta Wyborcza, filed a complaint to the Voivodeship Administrative Court (VAC) in Warsaw. The VAC in a judgment of 11 MArch 2010, case file VI SA/Wa 2110/09, ruled that medicines are dangerous products and therefore the strict requirements and regulations for advertising of such preparations were introduced, and they do not allow for the so-called hidden advertising. The Court agreed with MPI’s findings that the article published by Gazeta Wyborcza contained information about two medicinal products and that could encourage the use of these preparations, which is contrary to article 52(1) of the The Polish Act on Pharmaceutical Law – PHL – (in Polish: ustawa prawo famraceutyczne) of 6 September 2001, published in Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) of 2008, No 45, item 271, with later amendments.
Categories: Art. 52 PHL | Main Pharmaceutical Inspector | medicinal product | pharmaceutical law | pharmaceutical products advertising | Polish Act on Pharmaceutical Law | Voivodeship Administrative Court.
The Supreme Administrative Court in a judgment of 10 March 2010, case file I FSK 1520/09 held that the free of charge transfer of advertising materials for purposes related to operating a company is not deemed as supplying the goods and therefore not subject to value added tax as defined in article 7(2) and (3) of the Act on Goods and Services Tax – GSTA – (in Polish: ustawa o podatku od towarów i usług) of 11 March 2004, Journal od Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No. 54, item 535.
Categories: advertising law | case law | Polish Act on Goods and Services Tax | Polish Supreme Administrative Court | tax law.
The Main Pharmaceutical Inspector (MPI) found that Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning (in Polish: Federacja na rzecz Kobiet i Planowania Rodziny) is publishing the names of contraceptives on its Internet website, and therefore the Federation advertises these products. The MPI ordered the immediate cessation of such actions because it may encourages the use and prescription of such medical preparations and public advertisement of medicinal products as contraceptives, that are issued only on prescription, is prohibited by provisions of article 52(1) of the The Polish Act on Pharmaceutical Law – PHL – (in Polish: ustawa prawo famraceutyczne) of 6 September 2001, published in Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) of 2008, No 45, item 271, with later amendments.
The Federation filed a complaint to the Voivodeship Administrative Court (VAC) in Warsaw. The VAC in a judgment of 3 March 2009, case file VII SA/Wa 2108/08, has overturned the decision of the MPI, but only because the incomplete material was submitted. The VAC agreed that MPI’s decision was justified with regard to cessation of public advertisement of contraceptives. The Federation filed a cassation complaint.
The Supreme Administrative Cort (SAC) in a judgment of 10 March 2010, case file II GSK 461/09, ruled that the provisions of article 52 are legible and obvious, but they must relate to the circumstances of a particular case and to all reasons of actions taken in order to inform about the medicinal product. According to the SAC these circumstances were not considered and the VAC also omitted the statutory objectives of the Federation. The major role of the Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning is to inform of the various methods of family planning. Publishing the name of contraceptives, cannot be treated as an encouragement for its use. The information does not come from the responsible entity, and the publication of characteristics of medicinal products is not considered as advertising. If the order issued by the MPI was sustained, such information could not be published at all.
Therefore, the SAC annulled the questioned judgments of the Voivodeship Administrative Court and returned the case to the VAC for reconsideration.
Categories: advertising law | Art. 52 PHL | Art. 57 PHL | Main Pharmaceutical Inspector | medicinal product | pharmaceutical law | pharmaceutical products advertising | Polish Act on Pharmaceutical Law | Polish Supreme Administrative Court | trademark law | Voivodeship Administrative Court.
The main sources of binding laws in the Republic of Poland are the Constitution of 2 April 1997, acts passed by the Parliament, ratified international treaties and regulations issued, for example, by the Prime Minister or the Council of Ministers – Polish government. Regulations are issued for the purpose of implementation of acts.
The Polish Act of 30 June 2000 on Industrial Property Law – IPL – (in Polish: ustawa Prawo własności przemysłowej) of 30 June 2000, published in Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) of 2001 No 49, item 508, consolidated text of 13 June 2003, Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No 119, item 1117, with later amendments, defines the requirements for obtaining trademark protection in the Republic of Poland. There are related regulations that are issued for the purpose of implementation of the IPL.
The Polish Act of 16 April 1993 on Combating Unfair Competition – CUC – (in Polish: ustawa o zwalczaniu nieuczciwej konkurencji), Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No 47, item 211, with later amendments.
The Polish Act on Pharmaceutical Law – PHL – (in Polish: ustawa prawo famraceutyczne) of 6 September 2001, published in Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) of 2008, No 45, item 271, with later amendments, defines pharmaceutical/medicinal product. Of course, there are several related regulations to the PHL and the case-law of Polish courts. The PHL is almost entirely based on EU principles.
Act on proceedings before administrative courts – PBAC – (in Polish:Prawo o postępowaniu przed sądami administracyjnymi) of 30 August 2002, Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No 153, item 1270, with later amendments.
Civil Proceedings Code – CPC (in Polish: Kodeks Postępowania Cywilnego) of 17 November 1964, Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No 43, item 296, with later amendments.
Act on Patent Attorneys – APAT – (in Polish: ustawa o rzecznikach patentowych) of 11 April 2001, Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No. 49, item 509, with subsequent amendments.
See “Polish case law on advertising of pharmaceuticals“.
Moreover, all EU regulations and the judgements of the Court of Justice (COJ) of European Union relating to pharmaceutical issues are directly applicable in the Republic of Poland.
The right of protection for a sign being capable to be registered as a trade mark is granted by the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland (PPO), while the Polish Ministry of Health controls the registration process and approval procedure for medicinal products. Registration of signs for medicinal products is governed by the procedure and requirements set by the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal Products (ORMP), a government agency competent for the evaluation of the quality, efficacy and safety of medicinal and biocidal products, as well as medical devices.
The Main Pharmaceutical Inspector (MPI) is the central organ of public administration, executing her/his duties with the assistance of the Main Pharmaceutical Inspectorate and the MPI is authorized to ensure compliance with pharmaceutical regulations in the context of advertising. Main Pharmaceutical Inspector is the appeal institution in matters connected with executing tasks and competences of Pharmaceutical Inspection (the institution of second instance with regard to decisions of the provincial pharmaceutical inspector). Appeals against MPI’s decisions are filed before the Voivodeship Administrative Court (VAC) in Warsaw. Further appeal should be brought in the form of a cassation complaint with the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC).
An entity seeking to produce or import medicinal products must file an application for approval with the Inspectorate. The application must specify the medicinal name of the product and any other commonly used names (INN).
See also “Administrative, civil and criminal proceedings in trade mark cases in Poland“.
A trade mark under the Polish law can be any sign capable of being represented graphically, provided that such signs are capable of distinguishing the goods of one undertaking from those of other undertaking. The following, in particular, may be considered as trademarks: words, designs, ornaments, combinations of colours, the three-dimensional shape of goods or of their packaging, as well as melodies or other acoustic signals. Rights of protection will not be granted for signs which are a subject of absolute or relative grounds for refusal.
A medicinal product is defined as a substance or mixture of substances presented as having properties for treating or preventing disease in humans or animals, or given to make the diagnosis or to restoring, improving or modifying physiological functions through the pharmacological, immunological or metabolic effect. The the provisions of the PHL also apply to products that meet the criteria for both medicinal product and another type of product, in particular dietary supplement or cosmetic (as defined by separate regulations).
a common, or scientific name accompanied by a trademark, a company name or the name of the marketing authorization holder.
Obtaining an authorization for the release of a medicinal product under a given name does not exempt an entity from liability if the name violates third-party trademark rights. Applicants must therefore also keep in mind the provisions of the IPL and the CUC.
– “Trade mark law, case II GSK 210/06“.
– “Pharmaceutical trade marks, case VI SA/Wa 844/09“.
– “Pharmaceutical trade marks, case VI SA/Wa 1176/09“.
– The new name of a medicinal product should differ from an earlier registered product name in at least three letters and the new name cannot include a sequence of more than two of the same letters. An applicant is required to provide a justified written statement when seeking a waiver from these rules.
– The new name cannot result in the likelihood of confusion (in print, spelling and pronunciation) with an earlier registered name.
– Signs such as ® and ™ cannot form part of the new name.
1. Names of abstract persons that are used together with scientific titles, aliases or pseudonyms.
2. Expressions which bring to mind religious, geographical or historical associations.
3. Names of natural objects.
4. Obscene words or words suggesting obscene content.
– The name of the medicinal product must also be placed on the packaging in the Braille system.
The evidence of registration of a medicinal product name with the ORMP can act as evidence of use of the sign as at that date when attempting to protect the name as an industrial property right.
The parallel-imported medicinal product must have the same active ingredient(s) as the product authorized for marketing in the territory of the Republic of Poland (i.e., the same indications at least up to the third level of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) or the ATC veterinary.
The parallel-imported product must have the same strength and administration route as the authorized product, as well as the same or similar form. Slight differences in form cannot lead to any therapeutic differences between the products.
Where the product authorized for marketing in Poland is a brand name pharmaceutical, the parallel import must also be the brand name product. Similarly, where the authorized product is a generic, the parallel-imported pharmaceutical must also be a generic.
A parallel importation licence is available on application to the Polish Health Minister. The licence is issued on the basis of an assessment report prepared by the president of the ORMP. The application must include a sample of the packaging and the product information leaflets. A licence is granted for a period of five years.
the common name (INN) or scientific name together with the trademark or name of the parallel importer.
A parallel importer intending to put a medical product on the Polish market must inform the holder of the marketing authorization in Poland as to the expected date of entry onto the market at least 30 days before such date.
In order to place a product on the market, the parallel importer must alter the packaging thereof to adhere to local standards. The packaging must comply with that approved in the import licence. Polish authorities generally require the repackaging of parallel-imported medical products into new boxes that contain informational leaflets for patients in Polish. The informational leaflet must also be consistent with the parallel import licence.
The first parallel-imported medical products were placed on the Polish market in November 2005. As of the end of March 2008, over 200 parallel import licences had been granted in Poland.
The process of repackaging frequently causes disputes between parallel importers and mark owners. However, there is no case law in Poland with regard to this issue at present.
The responsibility for combating the trade and distribution of counterfeit medicines in Poland falls on the bodies responsible for the prosecution of crime – the Police, the Custom Service (detection and seizure of imported counterfeit medicines) and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. According to the official data published by the Ministry of Finance, 1,356 counterfeit packages of medicine were seized at the Polish borders in 2007, while 1,700 packages were seized within the first three months of 2008. According to the Main Pharmaceutical Inspectorate, 99% of medicines offered for sale from illegal sources are counterfeit and are hazardous to life or health.
The PHL sets out the requirements for advertising pharmaceutical products in Poland. The advertising of medicinal product has also to be made in accordance with the current Regulation of the Minister of Health on the advertising of medicinal products of 21 November 2008, Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No 210 item 1327. Advertising a medicinal product shall mean any activity consisting in informing about and encouraging to use the medicinal product, with the purpose of increasing the number of prescriptions, delivery, sale or consumption of the medicinal product.
Sponsoring scientific conferences, meetings and congresses for individuals authorized to issue prescriptions or involved in the trade of pharmaceutical products.
It should note that the Polish legislature did not apply the correct legislative techniques and thus the PHL includes different concepts with different contents of which makes a mess of the legal terminology. It is also the problem of the European legislator because the same problem also applies to article 86 of the Directive 2001/83/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 November 2001 on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use.
Pharmaceutical products may be advertised exclusively by the parties responsible for the products or by persons who have been commissioned by such parties.
Advertising offering or promising any advantages in a direct or indirect manner in return for purchasing the product, or providing any evidence of having purchased the product.
Advertising addressed to children or containing any element which might be considered as being addressed to children.
Advertising of pharmaceutical products that have not been admitted for trade in the territory of Poland or contain information which is inconsistent with the officially approved pharmaceutical product description.
Special restrictions are also imposed on advertising directed to specialists and the public.
Generic substitution is allowed under Polish law. Generic drug names comprise the name of the company producing the medicine together with its INN or invented name.
The market turnover of medicinal products takes place only under the terms and conditions laid down by the PHL’s regulations. Conducting the sale of medicines is reserved for “public pharmacies”. In addition, the right of the retail resale of certain drugs without a prescription and some prescription drugs is granted to “pharmacy points”. The sale of selected drugs without a prescription can be also conducted by the so-called “out-pharmacy market post”: herbal-medical shops, specialized medical supplies stores, pet shops, herbal/chemists shops/drugstores, and public shops – provided that the staff have appropriate qualifications. The law precisely regulates all features that the public pharmacy should have and the pharmacy point. It already implies the existence of the physical premises open to the public and intended to pursue the sale of drugs. The PHL authorized public pharmacies and pharmacy points to conduct the mail-order sale for public only for medicines purchased without a prescription (article 68 (3) of the PHL). Additionally, the term “pharmacy” is a reserved name that is legally protected under the PHL and criminal law, as well as unfair competition regulations. Any entity wishing to use the term “pharmacy” must meet strict regulatory requirements. Online operators that do not meet the conditions set by the regulations on pharmacies can neither use the term “pharmacy” nor trade in pharmaceutical products.
Where a domain name including a trade mark has been registered by an unauthorized third party, the mark owner can use mediation, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) proceedings or civil court action to obtain the cancellation or transfer of such domain. However, following a recent judgement of the Polish Competition and Consumer Protection Court of 26 December 2006, case act signature XVII AmC 170/05, ADR is unlikely to succeed if the disputed domain name is registered in the name of a natural person.
Categories: advertising law | Directive 2001/83/EC | EU law | Main Pharmaceutical Inspector | pharmaceutical law | pharmaceutical products advertising | Polish Act on Combating Unfair Competition | Polish Act on Industrial Property Law | Polish Act on Pharmaceutical Law | Polish courts | Polish law | Polish Patent Office | regulations | review | trademark law.
In a resolution of February 2008, the Polish National Notarial Council allowed its members for establishing Internet websites of their notarial offices. However, the Council of the Chamber of Notaries in Warsaw in the resolution of June 2009 decided that the establishment by notaries of their individual websites or posting data on webpages other than the council’s one is prohibited advertising. The Council ordered the shutdown of such websites and notaries who would not follow the resolution were subject to disciplinary proceedings.
In the article entitled “Notariusze mogą mieć strony internetowe“, the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita reports that the Polish Minister of Justice who exercises the supervision over the notaries’ self-government challenged the resolution to the Supreme Court. The PMJ argued that the Act of 14 February 1991 Law on Notaries, Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) of 2002 No 42 item 369, with later changes, does not allow the councils of chambers to take such restricting resolutions and although the government has the right to set the rules for its profession, but it is executed by the National Notarial Council, and not by the council of the chamber in Warsaw, Gdańsk or in Poznań. The resolution took by the the Council of the Chamber of Notaries in Warsaw divides Polish notaries on the better who are allowed to run their websites and and the worse, which may not do it. During the court’s hearings the representatives of the Warsaw provided very interesting arguments, for instance, that the opeartion of a website in Lublin has other meaning than opearating such website in Warsaw. The council of the chamber supervises the observance by notaries of the solemnity and dignity of their profession and the Internet website is a prohibited form of advertising, which is contrary with the principles of the exercise profession.
The Supreme Court in a judgment of 14 January 2010, case file III ZS 4/09, annulled the contested decision of June 2009. The SC firmly stressed that the Law on Notaries has created only one, not many local governments, which is formed by the local chambers and the National Council, and they are not independent to each other. The resolutions of the National Council are addressed to all notaries, including Warsaw’s. The council of the chamber cannot independently determine what is a disciplinary offense, because it is included in the Code of Ethics.
Categories: advertising law | e-marketing | Polish courts | Polish law | Polish Law on Notaries | Polish Supreme Court.
The Polish court issued a first judgment regarding TV/radio sponsored programmes and advertising of pharmaceutical products. US Pharmacia Company prepared a TV spot that was aired with a TV show. The following statement appeared in the spot.
The programme is sponsored by the manufacturer of Apap Noc medicine. Apap Noc – now also available in the big package. Combats pain and helps you fall asleep.
According to the provisions of Article 17(1) of the Polish Act of 29 December 1992 on Broadcasting – LOB – (in Polish: Ustawa o radiofonii i telewizji), published in Journal of Law (Dziennik Ustaw) of 1993, No 7 item 34, consolidated text of 19 Novemver 2004, Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No 253 item 2531, with subsequent amendments, sponsored programmes or other broadcasts shall be identified as such by sponsor credits at their beginning or end. Such credits may specify only the sponsor’s name, business name, trademark or contain some other identification of the business operator or its business activities, the image of a single product or service. According to the regulations provided in Article 4 pt. 7 of the LOB, the “sponsorship” should mean a direct or indirect financing or co-financing of the production or transmission of a programme or other broadcasts by an entity other than the broadcaster or producer of the programme, with a view to establishing, enhancing or promoting the renown of the name, business name, product or service, trademark.
The Polish Act of 6 September 2001 on Pharmaceutical Law – PHL – (in Polish: ustawa prawo farmaceutyczne), published in Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) of 2008, No 45, item 271, with subsequent amendments, does not include provisions relating to sponsorship of programs or other broadcasts in radio and television. The Main Pharmaceutical Inspector (MPI) is the central organ of public administration authorized to ensure compliance with pharmaceutical regulations in the context of advertising. According to MPI many pharmaceutical companies are trying to skip the strict sponsorship rules for advertising of pharmaceutical/medicinal products. MPI has already delivered several decisions requiring pharmaceutical companies to immediately cease advertising of medicines, and only US Pharmacia appealed this decision to the Voivodeship Administrative Court. The company argued that the spot was aimed at enhancing the reputation of the medicinal product. The MPI argued that it is unacceptable to add any other indications relating to both the sponsor and the subject of its activities, in particular the goods and services. Such behaviour turns sponsorship into advertising activity.
Before use read the leaflet included in the package or consult with your doctor or pharmacist, as each drug that was used improperly may threaten your life or health.
This warning shall be placed in the bottom of the ad, in terms of representing not less than 20% of its surface, so as to make the text stand out from the background plane visible, legible, motionless, placed horizontally, the distance of letters from the top and bottom edge of the background plane ad cannot be bigger than 1/2 in height and the distance between the lines of the string cannot be bigger than the height of the letters. This warning must be read clearly in the Polish language and it has to appear on the screen no less than 8 seconds. The same rules regarding the warning apply to the advertising of a medicinal product targeted to the public that was prepared as a sound message.
Before use read the label, which includes indications, contra-indications, data on adverse effects and dosage and information about the medicinal product, or consult a doctor or pharmacist, as each drug used improperly threatening your life or health.
The Warning shall be placed in the bottom of the ad, in terms of representing not less than 10% of its surface in such a way as to make the text stand out from the background plane visible, legible, motionless, placed horizontally, the distance of letters from the top and bottom edges of the background plane of the ad cannot be bigger than 1/2 in height and the distance between lines of the inscription cannot be bigger than the height of the letters. In the case of advertising to the public in a visual form which includes more than one page, a warning has to be placed on the first page.
Categories: advertising law | broadcasting law | Main Pharmaceutical Inspector | pharmaceutical products advertising | Polish Act on Broadcasting | Polish Act on Pharmaceutical Law | Polish courts | Polish law | trademark law | Voivodeship Administrative Court.
A person who bought CHIO CHIPS produced by the Lorenz Bahlsen Snack-World, filed a complaint to the representation of the Office of Competition and Consumers Protection in Wrocław. This dissatisfied consumer argued that being in the store, he chose CHIO chips and not the other products that were sold in a similar price, because he was attracted by a draw where he could win some nice prizes. However, he became disappointed because when he did open the package and read the coupon, it turned out that the draw was already over. The date of the draw was shown on the inside part of a special bar attached to chips’ bag, but it could be difficult to read after the break of the package. Because of the lack of a clear declaration with regard to the end date of the draw, the Company was fined 22000 PLN for the practice of contravention of collective interests of consumers. According to the Polish Act on Protection of Competition and Consumers – APCC – (in Polish: Ustawa o ochronie konkurencji i konsumentów) 16 February 2007 published in Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No. 50, item 331, with subsequent amendments, it was a violation of the obligation to provide consumers with reliable, true and complete information regarding the product.
The Polish Court of Competition and Consumer Protection upheld the contested decision in its judgment, case file XVII Ama 125/08. Such essential information as the period of promotion/draw or the validity date of the product cannot be hidden inside the bar of the package and thus not visible at first glance. Such information must be readily available. The Court ruled that the date of a draw should be indicated clearly on the product packaging and incomplete information is misleading. The judgment is not final yet, the company may file an appeal.
Categories: advertising law | competition law | Polish Act on Protection of Competition and Consumers | Polish Court of Competition and Consumer Protection | Polish courts | Polish law.
This case is a little bit old but I think it’s really worth mentioning to P.T. readers. The Supreme Court of the Republic of Poland decided a case regarding misleading advertising of pharmacetical products. The Court in its judgment of 2 October 2007, case act signature II CSK 289/07 ruled that assessment whether advertising can be deemed as misleading should refer to the model of the average recipient of this kind of advertising – the consumer of advertised products or services.
In this case, it was the average consumer of pharmaceuticals, to which advertising newspapers and leaflets were directed. As the Supreme Court noted in its judgment of 3 December 2003, case act signature I CK 358/02, the model of the average consumer, who is reasonably well informed and reasonably observant and circumspect, is now used widely adopted in the Republic of Poland as it is in the European Union.
However, the model of an average consumer could not be defined and considered in isolation from the conditions of this specific case and the realities concerning recipients of specific products to which the advertising is directed. Therefore, one could not ignore the fact that such consumers are often very ill persons, often with reduced capacity of perception and limited ability of reasonable and critical evaluation, as well as they are often elderly, which is also a significant group of consumers of medicines. These are typically the person more susceptible to suggestion and less critical. These people are targeted by pharmaceutical advertising and, while assessing the possibility of confusion, the characteristics of this kind of audience should be taken into account as a model of the average consumer.
Categories: advertising law | pharmaceutical products advertising | Polish Act on Pharmaceutical Law | Polish courts | Polish law | Polish Supreme Court | trademark law.
Below you will find a list of judgments and decisions on advertising of pharmaceuticals. You can find a more detailed discussion on each judgment or decision under the link provided with the case file. All judgments and decisions are given in chronological order.
– The judgment of the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw case file VI SA/ Wa 1136/10.
– The decision of the the Main Pharmaceutical Inspector of 10 March 2010, no. GIF-P-R-450/141-4/ZW/09/10.
– The decision of the the Main Pharmaceutical Inspector of 4 March 2010, no. GIF-P-R-450/147-3/ZW/09/10.
– The decision of the the Main Pharmaceutical Inspector of 6 January 2010, no GIF-P-R-450/126-3/ZW/09/10.
– The judgment of the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw of 11 March 2010, case file VI SA/Wa 2110/09.
– The judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court of 10 March 2010, case file II GSK 461/09.
– The judgment of the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw of 18 December 2009, case file VI SA/Wa 1758/09.
– The judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court of 26 June 2008, case file II GSK 199/08.
– The judgment of the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw of 17 June 2008, case file VII SA/Wa 556/08. This judgment is not yet final. A cassation complaint may be filed to the Supreme Administrative Court.
– The judgment of the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw of 3 October 2007 case file VII SA/Wa 1157/07.
– The judgment of the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw of 29 December 2005 case file I SA/Wa 584/05.
– The judgment of the of the Supreme Court – Civil Chamber of 2 October 2007, case file II CSK 289/07, published in the Jurisprudence of the Supreme Court, the Civil Chamber (in Polish: Orzecznictwo Sądu Najwyższego Izba Cywilna) of 2008, No 12, item 140, p. 54.
See also “Polish regulations on pharmaceutical trade marks“.
Categories: advertising law | case law | pharmaceutical products advertising | Polish Act on Pharmaceutical Law | Polish courts | Polish law | Polish Supreme Administrative Court | Polish Supreme Court | review | Voivodeship Administrative Court.
The Voivodeship Administrative Court in Wrocław in its judgment of 28 January 2009 case file III SA/Wr 499/08 held that the powers of sanitary authorities include the power to control of foodstuffs also in terms of their marking and labeling. According to article 120 of the Polish Act of 30 June 2000 on Industrial Property Law – IPL – (in Polish: ustawa Prawo własności przemysłowej) of 30 June 2000, published in Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) of 2001 No 49, item 508, consolidated text of 13 June 2003, Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No 119, item 1117, with subsequent amendments, the trade mark is protected as a whole regardless of its composition. So questioning the legality of a trade mark that was made by the State Sanitary Inspection, with the assumption that part of the label of foodstuff is a registered trademark, lead to an unacceptable invasion of the powers reserved by law for the Polish Patent Office. Indeed, such action of SSI would, in fact, “prohibit” the use of a trade mark, while the State Sanitary Inspection cannot encroach on the powers reserved by law for other state authorites.
(iv) earlier trademarks shall mean the trademarks applied for registration or registered basing on the earlier priority.
A situation where an entrepreneur has advertised tea, using only, image of cannabis-like leaves cannot be considered as advertising of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances. In this case, it was not a promotion of any other substances prohibited by the law because, there was no name of any specific drug or psychotropic substance. Moreover, this issue goes beyond the competence of the State Sanitary Inspection.
The cassation complaint was rejected by the Supreme Administrative Court in its judgment of 31 May 2010 case file II OSK 832/09.
Categories: advertising law | Art. 120(1) IPL | Art. 120(2) IPL | consumer protection law | definition of advertising | Polish Act on Industrial Property Law | product packaging | trademark law | Voivodeship Administrative Court.
Current regulations on alcohol advertisement are included in the Act of 26 October 1982 on upbringing in sobriety and counteracting alcoholism (Polish: Ustawa o wychowaniu w trzezwosci i przeciwdzialaniu alkoholizmowi). There are very important definitions included in article 2.
(5) information on the sponsorship – presenting information that includes the name of the sponsor or his trade mark in connection with the sponsorship.
According to article 131 of the Act, Advertising of alcoholic beverages shall be prohibited in Poland, except for beer.
(8) does not have associations with (a) sexual attractiveness, (b) relaxation or recreation, (c) study or work, (d) success or professional life.
(6) with the participation of minors.
The Polish Ministry of Health wants to limit the advertising of beer. According to the proposal, the advertising and promotion of beer can not be pursued in TV, radio, cinema and theatres between 6am and 11pm. There is also important news related to the Euro 2012 championships: fans at stadiums will not be allowed to buy drinks with an alcohol content of over 4.5%.
Categories: advertising law | alcohol advertising | Polish law.
According to one of the older judgments of the of the Supreme Court – Civil Chamber of 2 October 2007, case file II CSK 289/07, published in the Jurisprudence of the Supreme Court, the Civil Chamber (in Polish: Orzecznictwo Sądu Najwyższego Izba Cywilna) of 2008, No 12, item 140, p. 54, a public advertisement of promotional prices (price cuts) of drugs that is made by comparing these reduced prices with the higher prices, suggesting periodic drug sales at a lower price, is a prohibited public advertising of medicines as referred to in article 57(1)(i) and (iii) of the Polish Act on Pharmaceutical Law – PHL – (in Polish: ustawa prawo farmaceutyczne) of 6 September 2001, published in Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) of 2008, No 45, item 271, with subsequent amendments.
iii) included, according to separate regulations, on the lists of the reimbursable medicines and authorized for issuing without prescription, with the proper name identical with the name mentioned on these lists.
It is also the act of unfair competition as provided in article 16(1)(i) of the Act of 16 April 1993 on Combating Unfair Competition – CUC – (in Polish: ustawa o zwalczaniu nieuczciwej konkurencji), Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No 47, item 211, with subsequent amendments.
The Court ruled that assessment whether advertising can be deemed as misleading should refer to the model of the average recipient of this kind of advertising – the consumer of advertised products or services.
In this case, it was the average consumer of pharmaceuticals, to which advertising newspapers and leaflets were directed. As the Supreme Court noted in its judgment of 3 December 2003, case file I CK 358/02, the model of the average consumer, who is reasonably well informed and reasonably observant and circumspect, is now used widely adopted in the Republic of Poland as it is in the European Union.
Categories: advertising law | Art. 16 CUC | Art. 57 PHL | pharmaceutical products advertising | Polish Act on Combating Unfair Competition | Polish Act on Pharmaceutical Law | Polish courts | Polish law | Polish Supreme Court.
In the article entitled “Mniej reklam piwa w telewizji, kinie i teatrze“, the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita reports a recent legislative intiative regarding the advertising of alcohol products. Currently regulations on alcohol advertisement are included in the Act on Upbringing in Sobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism – USCA – (Polish: Ustawa o wychowaniu w trzeźwości i przeciwdziałaniu alkoholizmowi) of 26 October 1982, published in Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No 35, item 230, cosolidated text published in Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) of 28 March 2007, No 70, item 472, with later amendments. There are very important definitions included in article 2 of the USCA.
Categories: Act on Upbringing in Sobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism | advertising law | alcohol advertising | Polish law.
The Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw in its judgments of 11 November 2008 case file VII SA/Wa 1449/08 and 1450/08 decided cases regarding legal rules for building billboards. This issue does not concern trade marks directly, but may be helpful for to understand nuances of Polish law.
Jet Line is a company which specializes in installing large advertising billboards. The company has reported to the governor of Zachodniopomorskie province that it intends to erect two billboards at the port of Szczecin. The Governor has made an opposition which was also upheld by the The General Inspector of Building Control (GIBC). In GIBC’s opinion, billboards are constructions which, because of its size and being permanently linked to the ground, require a building permit as it is required by the Polish law in the Article 28 of Building Law Act of 7 June 1994 – BLA. The company appealed this decision claiming that it is inconsistent with article 29(2)(6) of the BLA.
The court held that the legislature did not exclude free-standing advertising constructions permanently associated with the ground from provisions included in Article 29 of the BLA. Therefore the court exempted from the obligation to get a building permit all kind of the equipment designed for the construction of advertising, regardless of whether they are free standing, or mounted on existing buildings.
Categories: advertising law | Voivodeship Administrative Court.
In the article entitled “Przybędzie zakazów w reklamach leków“, the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita reports a recent legislative initiative regarding a draft regulation on advertising of medicinal products prepared by the Polish Ministry of Health. Monitors displaying ads may disappear from pharmacies. Advertising of any medicines will not be allowed in hospitals or pharmacies. The proposed draft especially concerns audio and audiovisual advertising. A similar ban exists in the current Regulation of the Minister of Health of 16 December 2002 on the advertising of medicinal products, Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) of 2002 No. 230, item 1936, however, it allows for advertising contained in radio and television programmes. There were assembled special monitors to broadcast TV spots in some pharmacies. Such exceptions will no longer be allowed , and the display of medicine advertising spots will become illegal.
The proposal also includes the types of advertising of medicinal products: i.e. advertising which is targeted to the general public or persons who are entitled to issue medical prescriptions or persons engaged in the marketing of medicinal products. The Ministry of Health has stresses that such specification will clearly defined market rules and will have a positive effects on fair competition.
Advertising in visual form must contain a warning.
Before use, read the label, which includes indications, contra-indications, data on side effects, dosage and information about the medicinal use of the product, or consult your doctor or pharmacist.
The warning has to be included in any part of advertising, on a flat surface which is not less than 10 percent of total surface area of the ad. The text must be distinguished from the background and it be legible. A warning in an audiovisual advertising has to be placed in the lower parts of the plane, which is not less than 20 percent of the total surface area. It must also be clearly legible in the Polish language and appear on the screen for not less than 5 seconds.
Categories: advertising law | pharmaceutical products advertising | Polish Act on Pharmaceutical Law | Polish law | regulations | review.

References: § 1
 Art. 10
 Art. 16
 Art. 5
 Art. 7
 Art. 52
 Art. 57
 Art. 17
 Art. 52
 Art. 23
 Art. 24
 Art. 81
 Art. 52
 Art. 52
 Art. 57
 Art. 120
 Art. 120
 Art. 16
 Art. 57