EL SALVADOR Law and Practice Contributed by: Marcela Mancia, IDEAS IP
1. Legal Framework and Regulatory Bodies 1.1 Primary Laws and Regulation Provisions that should be considered in relation to advertising and marketing in El Salvador include the following: • the Constitution of El Salvador; • the Juvenile Criminal Law ( Ley Penal Juvenil ); • the Special Law Regulating the Obligation of Natural and Legal Persons Under Private Law to Comply With the Principle of Publicity ( Ley Especial Reguladora de la Obligacion de las Personas Natu‑ rales y Jurídicas de Derecho Privado de Cumplir con el Principio de Publicidad ); • the Law of Growing Together ( Ley Crecer Juntos ); • the Pharmaceutical Law ( Ley de Medicamentos ); • the Law of the Superintendence of Sanitary Regu - lation ( Ley de la Superintendencia de Regulación Sanitari a); • the Guide to Drug Advertisement ( Guia de la Publi‑ cidad de Medicamentos ); • Ethical Aspects of Pharmaceutical Advertising in El Salvador ( Aspectos Eticos para la Publicidad Farmaceutica en El Salvador ); • the Consumer Protection Law ( Ley de Proteccion al Consumidor ); • the Labour Code ( Codigo de Trabajo ); • the Law for the Promotion, Protection and Support of Breastfeeding ( Ley de Promocion, Proteccion y Apoyo a la Lactancia Materna ); • the Law on Equality, Equity and the Eradication of Discrimination Against Women ( Ley de Igualdad, Equidad, y Erradicacion de la Discriminacion Con ‑ tra las Mujeres ); • the Special Law for a Life Free of Violence for Women ( Ley Especial Integral Para Una Vida de Violencia Para las Mujeres ); • the Advertising Self-Regulation Code ( Codigo de 1.2 Enforcement and Regulatory Authorities The regulatory authorities involved in matters related to advertising and marketing in El Salvador include: • the Consumer Protection Authority; Autoregulacion Publicitaria ); and • The Digital Asset Issuance Law.
• the Ministry of Labour; • the Ministry of Health;
• the National Council for Children and Adolescents; • the Salvadoran Institute for the Integral Develop - ment of Childhood and Adolescents ( Instituto Salvadoreño para el Desarrollo Integral de la Niñez y la Adolescencia ); • the judicial courts; and • the Superintendence of Sanitary Regulation. 1.3 Liability for Deceptive Advertising Anyone can be held liable for deceptive advertising in relation to pharmaceuticals, drugs, cosmetics, alco - hol, food, beverages and other types of products if they affirm or confirm something that is not true. Such advertising is regulated by the Consumer Protection Law and the Advertising Self-Regulation Code. 1.4 What Is Advertising? Products can be advertised on television, radio, social media and the internet. 1.5 Pre-Approvals Pre-approvals are sometimes required, mostly regard - ing pharmaceutical products, and must be obtained from the Superintendence of Sanitary Regulation. 1.6 Intellectual Property and Publicity Rights There are no special rules governing the use of intel - lectual property in El Salvador – only general rules under the Trademark and Other Distinctive Signs Act, treaties, the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights ( Acuerdo sobre los Dere‑ chos de Propiedad Intelectual relacionados con el Comercio ADPIC), the Advertising Self-Regulation Code and the new Intellectual Property Law. 1.7 Self-Regulatory Authorities El Salvador used to have a National Bureau of Pub - licity, but after COVID-19 this entity was dissolved. However, the Advertising Self-Regulation Code is still in effect, regulating advertising and how to advertise. There is also a special commission that oversees all advertising practices and procedures when com - plaints are filed by advertisement agencies, advertis - ers, associations and non-governmental organisa - tions ( organizaciones no gubernamentales (ONGs), consumers and the government. In addition, the Con -
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