European elections: new rules on political advertising enter into force. Jourova (Commission), “transparency and protection against interference”

New EU rules have come into force today establishing common standards in the internal market for the transparency and targeting of political advertising. This will help citizens to identify “messages that seek to influence their political opinions and decisions”, the Commission explains in a statement. These rules are intended to promote “an open, democratic debate and free elections”. Political advertising “must now be clearly identified as such and should indicate who paid for it, at what price, and to which electoral or legislative process it is linked”. This is already the case in some Member States. “To protect European democratic processes from foreign interference, the Regulation prohibits the sponsorship of advertising by third countries three months before an election or referendum”. European Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová said: “The new law makes political advertising more transparent and establishes stronger protections against foreign interference and manipulation. It will be easier for voters to vote, to identify paid content, and to know who sponsored political advertising”. The rules will also apply to the 2024 European Parliament elections.
Valentina Bombelli