New EU campaign rules come into effect

Brussels – A transparent election campaign is the objective of the new European rules that come into force today, establishing common standards in the internal market for transparency and targeting of political advertising, aiming to allow citizens to identify messages that seek to influence their political opinions and decisions.

These rules promote open democratic debate and free, fair, and stable elections. Political advertisements must be clearly labeled as such, including information on who paid for them, at what price, to what electoral or legislative process they are linked, and what audience they target.

A mechanism for reporting problematic ads will have to be established, and all online political ads will be archived in an online advertising directory. The regulation also restricts the misuse of personal data. The regulation bans sponsorship of advertisements from outside the EU three months before an election or referendum to protect European democratic processes from foreign interference.

“The new law makes political advertising more transparent and establishes stronger safeguards against foreign interference and manipulation. It will be easier for voters to identify paid content, who paid for it, and how the advertising was targeted,” said Věra Jourová, vice-president of the European Commission for Values and Transparency.

According to Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice, “well-informed and empowered citizens are both the foundation and driving force behind a thriving democracy. The new rules on political advertising will help them navigate the political sphere and preserve the transparency of elections in the Union.”

The rules will apply from now on, including for the 2024 European parliamentary elections, to advertising from political actors aiming to influence elections and other democratic processes. The Regulation requires service providers to supply political advertising within the EU, regardless of the Member State where the sponsor is based. In particular, this provision recognizes the special role played by European political parties and political groups in the European Parliament in conducting campaigns at the European level.

The rest of the Regulation, including transparency obligations imposed on service providers, specific data protection rules, and the monitoring regime, will apply as of October 9, 2025.