The self-regulatory system was set up in Italy in 1963, the year in which the 7th National Conference on Advertising, which was held on the island of Ischia on October 3 to 6, approved a motion in which the principles and aims to which voluntary control in advertising must conform were provided.

The motion

On the occasion of the Conference a general agreement was recorded in the following terms: "(...) having established that the function of advertising is equally in the interest of enterprises and consumers, having acknowledged the requirement that the principles of morality and loyalty underlying the profession are enhanced, (...) as a further concrete impediment to marginal degenerative forms of advertising, commits advertisers, artists, producers and the media, through their respective associations to work out and collect under a single moral Code of Advertising the rules that are to govern all advertising activities in defence of entrepreneurial activities and of the fundamental interests of consumers; moreover it commits such associations to appropriate themselves of such Code and ensure its application by their members."
In over 40 years' activity the self-regulatory system has evolved and has kept in step with the development of our society and of customs. The growth of the advertising market and the consequent increased complexity of its issues have so far always found adequate responses in the rules of the Code and in the control structure created by the system.

The Istituto as a basis

The Istituto dell'Autodisciplina Pubblicitaria, as set out in its own Statute, is a non-profit organisation.
Amongst its main responsibilities are the formulation and updating of the rules of the Code of Self-Regulation, the appointment of members of the Jury and the Review Board. Today, it includes 18 bodies, among which companies and corporations investing in advertising, professional organisations and individuals, advertising media.
The Istituto intends to act and make sure that all marketing communication be honest, truthful and proper and carried out as a service for the information of consumers.

Organs of the Istituto

Official bodies of the Istituto are:

1. the Board of Directors, composed of 30 members designated by IAP Members, with powers for ordinary and extra-ordinary administration of the Istituto; the Board of Directors is also responsible for regularly updating the Code of Self-Regulation, for appointing the other IAP bodies and for fixing membership and associate fees;
2. the President;
3. the Executive Council;
4. the Study Commission, composed of one representative from each of the associate bodies, who is responsible for submitting proposed revisions to the Code and for studying new initiatives for IAP's further development;
5. the Auditing Committee;
6. the Treasurer;
7. the General Secretary.

It is worth underlining the statutory rule according to which - in order to ensure utmost independence and transparency of the control system - all official responsibilities are incompatible with responsibilities concerning the Code and are not rewarded.

Aims of the Code

The rules contained in the Code of Self-Regulation as a whole mark the boundaries of what is deemed correct and lawful communication.
The Code's aims are clearly stated under "Preliminary and General Rules" where the principle is laid out that its purpose is "to ensure that marketing communication, while performing an extremely useful role in the economy, is carried out as a service to the public, with special consideration given to its influence on consumers". In addition, "the Code defines activities that, while legal, are in contrast with the aforesaid; the rules reflect the behaviour that communication must conform to, and constitute the legal basis for marketing communications self-regulation".
The Code was first published on May 12, 1966 and has been constantly updated so as to keep pace with the new requirements imposed by the fast development of marketing communication. 44 editions have been produced since.
In January 2008 IAP Board of Directors launched a new Code of Self-Regulation, the "Code of Marketing Communication" ("Codice della Comunicazione Commerciale"). The new Code, taking into consideration the interpretation of the Jury's jurisprudence and the input at the European and National legislative level, expressly increases the application range of the Self-Regulatory system.