EU-level elections

Elections organised at European Union level to select representatives to EU institutions. The main EU-level election is the European Parliament election, held every five years across all Member States, where citizens vote for Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). These elections are subject to specific transparency and fairness requirements under EU law, including the TTPA Regulation.

Legal Basis

"This Regulation applies to political advertising directed to individuals in a Member State, irrespective of the place of establishment of the sponsor or provider of political advertising services."

— Article 2(1), Regulation (EU) 2024/900

The regulation applies to political advertising in the context of Union-level elections and referendums, as well as national, regional and local electoral processes.

Why It Matters

EU-level elections, particularly European Parliament elections, involve political advertising campaigns that cross multiple Member States and language barriers. The TTPA Regulation (EU 2024/900) ensures that political advertising during these elections meets transparency standards across all Member States, preventing fragmentation and ensuring voters can make informed decisions.

For political actors, including European political parties and political groups in the European Parliament, EU-level elections require compliance with harmonised transparency rules when purchasing political advertising services. The regulation specifically prohibits discrimination against European political parties by providers of political advertising services, recognising their unique cross-border role in forming European political awareness.

Platforms, publishers, and advertising service providers must ensure political advertisements during EU-level elections are clearly labelled, include transparency notices, and comply with strict rules on targeting using personal data. During the three months preceding an EU-level election, additional restrictions apply to sponsorship by third-country entities or nationals.

Key Points

European Parliament elections are the primary EU-level electoral process, held every five years with voters in all 27 Member States
Harmonised transparency rules apply across borders to prevent fragmentation and ensure consistent protection during EU-level campaigns
European political parties have special status under the regulation and cannot be discriminated against based on their place of establishment
Cross-border campaigns are common in EU-level elections, making uniform rules essential for fair competition and voter information
Third-country restrictions apply in the three months before EU-level elections to prevent foreign interference
Multiple languages and jurisdictions make EU-level elections particularly complex for compliance with political advertising rules

EU-level elections vs. National elections

While both EU-level and national elections are covered by the TTPA Regulation, EU-level elections involve unique challenges due to their pan-European nature. EU-level elections require political advertising services to operate across multiple Member States simultaneously, often in different languages and addressing diverse political contexts.

National elections are organised by individual Member States according to national law, with campaigns typically focused within one country. EU-level elections, by contrast, involve European political parties that campaign across borders to elect MEPs who then form political groups in the European Parliament.

The regulation provides specific protections for European political parties during EU-level elections, prohibiting providers of political advertising services from refusing or restricting services based on the party's place of establishment. This non-discrimination principle is particularly important for EU-level elections to ensure European parties can conduct effective pan-European campaigns.

Related Terms

Political advertising
Political actor
European political parties
Sponsor
Provider of political advertising services
Publisher
Third-country entities
Transparency notice
Targeting techniques
Political groups in the European Parliament

Very transparent. Every political ad will be labelled, linked to a transparency notice with detailed information, and online ads will be searchable in a central European repository.

The Network coordinates election-related cooperation between member states. National contact points for TTPA enforcement should be members of this network where possible.

Election campaigns will need to ensure all paid advertising includes proper labels and transparency notices. Sponsors must be prepared to provide required information to all service providers.

Several major platforms currently do not allow paid political advertising, including some large social networks. This limits where political actors can place paid online advertisements.

The TTPA applies from 10 October 2025. Member States had until 10 April 2025 to designate competent authorities, and the Commission must provide label templates by 10 July 2025.

Publishers must ensure completeness and accuracy of certain information but are not required to verify all sponsor claims. They must correct manifestly erroneous information when they become aware of it.

Yes. When a hosting provider and a website both display an ad, both are considered publishers with responsibility for their specific services. Contracts should clarify how they share compliance duties.

If a publisher removes or disables access to a political ad due to illegality or terms violations, they must still provide access to the transparency information for the full seven-year retention period.