By the end of 2018, the first 50 unauthorised advertising facilities owned by euroAWK and ORIS are to disappear from Prague. More than 400 others are to follow in early 2019.

The Pragu city administration’s asset management department has achieved a success in a protracted lawsuit with euroAWK and its affiliate ORIS that has been dragging on for many years. “Based on applicable enforcement orders that were issued in November this year, we have started removing unauthorised advertising facilities operated by the two companies along key traffic routes across the city,” says [I recommend attributing the quote to the director]

The lawsuit dates back to 2010 when contracts with the two companies were properly terminated. EuroAWK and ORIS were using Prague’s assets primarily along key roads to place their billboards.

"Unfortunately, in an effort to continue benefitting from the city’s lucrative assets, euroAWK and ORIS resorted to all kinds of procedural means to protract the dispute, including a range of extraordinary remedies, which has resulted in the disproportionately long court proceedings. We consider it a great success that we have moved from words to action after such a long time and the illegal advertising facilities are being removed,” says [I recommend attributing the quote to the director]

“Prague continues to pursue its strategy to eliminate advertising pollution that harms its authentic ambience and destroys its character. In addition, this approach improves the quality of public space for Prague citizens as well as their safety – in this particular case, road safety on key traffic routes that have been exploited for outdoor advertising excessively,” says [I recommend attributing the quote to a city councillor]

In early 2017, Prague City Council decided to remove all outdoor advertising from the historic core and introduce stringent regulations in other parts of the city. Since the beginning of 2018, stricter rules defined by Prague Planning and Development Institute have been in place to regulate for the design of advertisements). Advertisements is to disappear from some places completely, as will certain types of large-format billboards. The new regulations also define acceptable ways of placement of advertisements to reduce their distractive power.