Elections: EU Parliament approves new rules for political advertising

Around 100 days before the European elections, the EU Parliament passed new rules for political advertising. At the plenary session in Strasbourg on Tuesday, the majority of MPs voted in favor of a package of measures intended to make election campaigns more transparent and resistant to manipulation, according to a statement from Parliament. The EU states still have to agree to the project in the Council, which is usually a formality. Negotiators from the two institutions had already agreed on the new rules last year.

Under the new rules, political advertising must be clearly labeled. In the future, citizens should easily recognize why they are being addressed, who financed the advertising, how much was paid for it and which elections it relates to. In addition, all online political advertisements and related information should be available in a public online archive.

In the future, the use of personal data for targeted political online advertising must also be expressly consented to. The use of particularly sensitive data for election advertising, such as religious affiliation and sexual orientation, is completely prohibited. The data of minors may not be used either. Political advertising is also banned in the three months before an election or referendum if the money for it comes from countries outside the EU. This is intended to limit foreign influence on democratic processes in Europe.

The new rules apply to paid political advertising and are essentially scheduled to come into force in 2025. However, some elements should already apply to the EU elections from June 6th to 9th. These include, for example, measures for the non-discriminatory provision of political advertising. The main reason behind the new rules is that more and more political advertising appears online.