Sponsor
A sponsor is the person or organisation that pays for a political advertisement or provides other valuable benefits, such as benefits in kind, in exchange for the placement or dissemination of that advertisement. The sponsor determines the political nature and content of the ad and is responsible for ensuring that transparency requirements are met. Under the TTPA regulation, every political advertisement must clearly identify its sponsor.
Legal Basis
"'sponsor' means a natural or legal person, or a group of natural or legal persons without legal personality, on whose behalf and at whose expense, including in the form of benefits in kind, political advertising is prepared, placed, promoted, published, delivered or disseminated;"
— Article 2(3), Regulation (EU) 2024/900
Why It Matters
The sponsor is the key actor behind any political advertisement and bears primary responsibility under the TTPA regulation. Whether you are a political party, candidate, advocacy group, or business funding a political campaign, you are the sponsor if you pay for or provide benefits in exchange for the ad's placement.
Sponsors must supply all information needed for transparency notices, including their identity, the amount spent, and the beneficiary (if different). Providers of political advertising services rely on sponsors to provide accurate information so they can label ads correctly and publish transparency notices.
For citizens, knowing who sponsors a political ad is essential to understanding whose interests are being promoted and evaluating the message critically. The TTPA regulation requires this information to be clear, easily accessible, and available both at the time of publication and for a period afterward.
Key Points
- Definition: The sponsor is whoever pays for or provides benefits in kind for a political advertisement.
- Responsibility: Sponsors must provide accurate transparency information to publishers and providers of political advertising services.
- Transparency: Every political ad must disclose the sponsor's identity clearly and prominently.
- Includes diverse actors: Sponsors can be political parties, candidates, advocacy groups, companies, associations, or individuals.
- Benefits in kind count: Payment doesn't have to be monetary—free services, discounts, or other benefits qualify.
- Third-country restrictions: In the three months before an election, sponsors must be EU citizens, qualifying third-country nationals, or EU-established legal persons not controlled by third-country entities.
Sponsor vs. Publisher
A sponsor pays for and determines the content of a political advertisement, while a publisher is the entity that displays or disseminates the ad to the public (such as a social media platform, newspaper, or broadcaster). One entity can be both—for example, a political party that posts paid content on its own website. The sponsor is responsible for providing transparency information; the publisher is responsible for ensuring that information is displayed correctly and accessible to the public.
| Sponsor | Publisher |
|---|---|
| Pays for the ad or provides benefits | Displays or disseminates the ad |
| Determines content and political nature | Ensures transparency labelling |
| Supplies transparency information | Makes transparency notices accessible |
| Can be a political actor or third party | Can be a platform, media outlet, or influencer |