Competent Authority
A competent authority is a national body designated by each EU Member State to supervise and enforce the rules on political advertising under the TTPA Regulation. These authorities ensure that sponsors, publishers, and providers of political advertising services comply with transparency and targeting requirements, and they handle complaints and investigations related to violations.
Legal Basis
"Each Member State shall designate one or more competent authorities responsible for the supervision and enforcement of this Regulation."
— Article 23, Regulation 2024/900
The Regulation grants Member States flexibility to assign competent authorities based on their national structures. This means that depending on the Member State and the nature of the violation, different authorities may be responsible—for example, media regulators for transparency issues or data protection authorities for targeting violations.
Why It Matters
Competent authorities are the primary enforcement mechanism for the TTPA Regulation in each Member State. If you publish political ads, sponsor campaigns, or provide political advertising services, these authorities can investigate your practices, request information, and impose sanctions if you fail to comply with labeling, transparency notice, or targeting rules.
For individuals and civil society, competent authorities provide the avenue to report suspected violations. If you encounter unlabeled political ads, missing transparency information, or suspect misuse of personal data for targeting, you can file a complaint with the relevant competent authority in your Member State. They have the power to investigate and take corrective action.
The designation of multiple authorities in some Member States reflects the fact that political advertising touches several regulatory domains. Transparency and labeling issues may fall under media or advertising regulators, while targeting and personal data concerns are typically handled by data protection authorities. This can create coordination challenges, but the TTPA Regulation requires these authorities to cooperate and share information to ensure consistent enforcement across borders.
Key Points
- National designation: Each EU Member State designates one or more competent authorities to enforce TTPA rules within its jurisdiction.
- Multiple authorities possible: Depending on the issue—transparency, targeting, or data protection—different national bodies may be responsible.
- Enforcement powers: Competent authorities can investigate complaints, request documentation, and impose fines or other sanctions for violations.
- Complaint mechanism: Individuals and organizations can report suspected violations to the competent authority in the Member State where the violation occurred.
- Cross-border cooperation: Competent authorities must coordinate with their counterparts in other Member States to address cross-border political advertising.
- Distinct from DSC: While the Digital Services Coordinator handles Digital Services Act enforcement, competent authorities under the TTPA Regulation focus specifically on political advertising rules.
Competent Authority vs. Digital Services Coordinator
A competent authority under the TTPA Regulation supervises political advertising transparency and targeting rules, while a Digital Services Coordinator (DSC) enforces the broader Digital Services Act, including rules on illegal content, platform accountability, and online intermediary services.
In some Member States, the DSC may also serve as a competent authority for political advertising, but the two roles have different scopes. The DSC handles systemic risks, content moderation obligations, and platform governance across all online services, whereas competent authorities for political advertising focus specifically on labeling, transparency notices, sponsorship disclosure, and the lawful use of targeting techniques in political campaigns.
If you're unsure where to file a complaint—for example, if an online platform fails to label political ads—the DSC may coordinate with the relevant competent authority to ensure the issue is handled by the right body.