On Wednesday 8 October, the European Commission published guidelines to support the effective implementation of the regulation on the transparency and targeting of political advertising, which will come into force on 10 October, according to a press release.
Regulation 2024/900 (see EUROPE 13287/1) lays down harmonised rules in the internal market for political advertising services, requiring, among other things, clear labelling and transparency notices containing additional information, such as the contact details of the sponsor (whether the political party, the candidates, a town hall or an NGO, for example).
Political advertisements supplied, published, broadcast or distributed after this date will therefore have to be accompanied by basic information about who paid for them, the amount paid and whether they are targeted at a specific audience.
The Regulation invited the European Commission to draw up common, non-binding guidelines to help sponsors, or advertising service providers acting on their behalf, to notify and identify political advertising (“messages prepared, placed, promoted, published, delivered or disseminated directly or indirectly by, for or on behalf of a political actor, as well as to messages by other actors which are liable and designed to influence the outcome of an election or referendum, voting behaviour or a legislative or regulatory process at Union, national, regional or local level”). The guidelines are also intended to support the Member State authorities in their control functions.
Link to the guidelines: https://aeur.eu/f/itx (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)