EFA-logoEFA-logoEFA-logoEFA-logo
  • About us
    • Our board
    • What we do
    • How we work
    • Ethics
    • Our history
    • Privacy Policy
  • Membership
    • Member benefits
    • EFA members
    • EFA associates
    • Join EFA
  • EFA Certification
    • Certification news
    • Why EFA Certification?
    • Standard Competence Framework handbook
    • Advanced Competence Framework handbook
    • EFA qualifications
    • Applying for EFA Certification
    • Certification committee
  • Public Affairs
    • Public Affairs news
  • News
    • Fundraising Europe
    • Latest news
    • Latest features
    • EFA news
    • European Fundraising Podcast
    • Contributor guidelines
    • Advertise with EFA
  • Events
    • Events Calendar
    • 2022 Nonprofit Pulse survey webinar
    • 2022 EFA Skillshare and AGA
  • Resources
  • About us
    • Our board
    • What we do
    • How we work
    • Ethics
    • Our history
    • Privacy Policy
  • Membership
    • Member benefits
    • EFA members
    • EFA associates
    • Join EFA
  • EFA Certification
    • Certification news
    • Why EFA Certification?
    • Standard Competence Framework handbook
    • Advanced Competence Framework handbook
    • EFA qualifications
    • Applying for EFA Certification
    • Certification committee
  • Public Affairs
    • Public Affairs news
  • News
    • Fundraising Europe
    • Latest news
    • Latest features
    • EFA news
    • European Fundraising Podcast
    • Contributor guidelines
    • Advertise with EFA
  • Events
    • Events Calendar
    • 2022 Nonprofit Pulse survey webinar
    • 2022 EFA Skillshare and AGA
  • Resources
✕
A woman thinking. By Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels
Dylan Burke: What motivates legacy giving?
September 14, 2022
Teamwork - people highfive. By Fauxels on Pexels
Elly Lont: How joint legacy campaigns can change the world
September 14, 2022

Patrick Gibbels: Swiss say no to opt-in for door drops

September 14, 2022
Categories
  • Features
  • Public affairs
  • View from Brussels
Tags
  • door drops
Envelopes. By AC works Co., Ltd. from Pixabay

This month our Brussels correspondent explores Switzerland’s recent rejection of a proposed opt-in for unaddressed mail and what it would mean for nonprofits if such an approach was adopted by the EU.

In a move that might set a precedent for other European countries, Switzerland recently confirmed the freedom of advertising at the mailbox. A motion by the Nation Council to restrict unaddressed letterbox advertising by means of an opt-in regime was turned down by the responsible Council of States Commission by an overwhelming majority of 8 votes to 1 with one abstention. Whilst Switzerland is not a member of the EU, the decision might influence ongoing discussions on the topic at EU level, as well as within individual Member States.

The discussion is not new. In fact, I first wrote about the subject for Fundraising Europe a little over two years ago, when several EU Member States (Netherlands, Belgium, France, Denmark and Germany) proposed to change the current opt-out approach for receiving unaddressed printed advertising to an opt-in approach. However, many nonprofits rely on these ‘door drops’ to build awareness within the local community and beyond and encourage supporters to donate, raising concerns about the impact of restrictions to this fundraising channel.

Door drops and the opt-out system are a part of the EU’s 2005 Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. If the EU were to adopt an opt-in approach, nonprofits would no longer be able to send unaddressed mailings to any households, unless they proactively permit them to do so. Few people are likely to do so, which would have a significant negative impact on fundraising organisations and their opportunity to rebuild income levels at a time where many are facing critical funding shortfalls.

At the time, The European Fundraising Association had signed a joint letter (along with Intergraf, FEDMA, the European Letterbox Marketing Association and others), calling on the European Commission to address this issue with the Member States concerned. The letter asks for clarification that any restrictions on this form of advertising need to take into account the principle of proportionality and must be compliant with EU law.

In May 2022, I reported that the Danish government was considering legislation that would introduce a regime banning unaddressed printed advertising. Denmark has made similar attempts to curb unaddressed printed advertising in 2012, 2016, and 2020. The European Commission clarified at that time that “Directive 2005/29/EC bans unsolicited advertising by remote media if it is persistent and unwanted. Assessments of the compatibility of national rules with this directive depend on their exact wording, but an opt-in scheme seems to go further than this ban.

Whilst attempts to introduce opt-in regimes have thus far been largely unsuccessful, there remains an appetite in some European countries for curbing the way organisations can reach out to citizens. EFA sees the Swiss decision as a step in the right direction and hopes that this will be reflected in EU Member States as well. EFA and its partners will continue to monitor the situation closely.

 

Patrick Gibbels

Patrick Gibbels, Gibbels Public Affairs

About Patrick Gibbels

Patrick is EFA’s public affairs columnist in Brussels.

He is the director of Gibbels Public Affairs.

Follow Patrick @GPA_Brussels.

Read more from Patrick in our View from Brussels column here.

 

 

Main photo by AC works Co Ltd on Pixabay

Share

Related posts

January 18, 2023

Special focus: What can nonprofits expect from 2023?


Read more
A heart drawn in the sand on a beach. Photo by Khadeeja Yasser on Unsplash
January 18, 2023

Harriet Jones-Day: Philanthropic psychology – what is it & what can it offer?


Read more
Flags of Europe and the EU flag at Brussels. By Endzeiter on Pexels
January 13, 2023

EFA forms Public Affairs Working Group


Read more

Most popular posts

Search news by country or category

Search news by date

Popular topics

  • Research
  • Individual giving
  • Coronavirus
  • Professional development
  • Digital
  • Legacies
  • Philanthropic trends
  • Events
  • Collaboration
  • Tax incentives

Registered Office

James Wattstraat 100
NL-1097 DM Amsterdam
Netherlands

EFA is registered at the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce
Reg. No. 34212817

Contact

Executive Officer, Denise Dawes
denise.dawes@efa-net.eu

Media enquiries:
news@efa-net.eu

Follow us

Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn

Search

✕
© 2021 EFA | European Fundraising Association. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Read More
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT