Cost transparency is one of the central requirements of EU Regulation 2024/900. Article 9 mandates that transparency notices disclose the actual costs of political advertising, and when an ad is part of a campaign, the aggregate costs of the entire campaign. This article explains how cost information flows through The Taurus, from what you enter in the wizard to what the public sees.
Entering costs in the wizard
When you create a transparency notice, step 5 of the wizard is dedicated to costs. Here you provide:
- Total amount — The overall cost of the advertisement covered by this notice. This is the total amount paid or to be paid for the production, placement, and distribution of the ad.
- Currency — The currency in which the costs are denominated (e.g., EUR, CHF).
- Service provider breakdown — A line-by-line breakdown of costs by service provider. For each provider, you enter:
- The type of service (e.g., creative production, media placement, distribution, printing)
- The monetary amount paid to that provider
- Any other benefits provided to that provider
The total amount should equal the sum of all service provider amounts plus any other benefits. The Taurus validates this to help you catch discrepancies before publishing.
Understanding "other benefits"
The regulation recognizes that political advertising does not always involve straightforward cash transactions. "Other benefits" refers to non-monetary contributions that have economic value. Examples include:
- Discounted rates — A media outlet offers ad space at below-market rates. The difference between the market rate and the discounted rate is a non-monetary benefit.
- Free space or airtime — A publisher donates ad space or a broadcaster provides free airtime. The market value of that space is an other benefit.
- In-kind services — A design agency creates campaign materials at no charge. The value of the work is an other benefit.
- Below-cost production — A printing company produces flyers at cost, waiving their margin. The waived margin is an other benefit.
You should report these benefits alongside monetary costs. The regulation requires truthful and complete disclosure of all resources that contributed to the advertisement. Omitting non-monetary benefits that have significant economic value would make the disclosure incomplete.
When entering other benefits, describe what was provided and estimate the fair market value. Precision matters here, as Article 9 requires accurate cost reporting. If you are unsure how to value a specific benefit, consult with your legal or finance team.
How costs flow into campaigns
If you link a transparency notice to a campaign (in wizard step 6), the costs you entered in step 5 become part of the campaign's aggregate total. The campaign dashboard adds up the costs from all linked notices, including both Taurus-managed notices and any external notices you have added manually.
This aggregation is automatic. When you update the costs on a notice, the campaign total updates accordingly. There is no separate step to synchronize campaign totals; they always reflect the current state of all linked notices.
What the public sees
The public viewer for a transparency notice displays cost information at two levels:
Individual notice level:
- The total cost of the specific advertisement
- The service provider breakdown showing how the money was spent
- Any other benefits disclosed
Campaign level (if applicable):
- The name of the campaign the notice belongs to
- The aggregate total spent across all notices in the campaign
- This gives viewers the broader context of how much was spent on the overall campaign, not just the single ad they are looking at
This two-level disclosure is exactly what the regulation intends. A voter scanning a QR code on a political poster can see both what that specific poster cost and how much the entire campaign behind it has spent.
Accuracy and timing
Article 9 requires truthful disclosure of actual costs. A few practical points to keep in mind:
- Enter costs as early as possible. Even if final invoices have not arrived, enter your best estimate and update it later. An approximate figure is better than an empty field.
- Update when final numbers are available. The Taurus allows you to edit costs on published notices. When you receive final invoices, update the amounts to reflect actuals.
- Check your campaign totals regularly. If you have a multi-notice campaign, review the campaign dashboard periodically to ensure the aggregate figure is accurate.
- Be thorough with other benefits. It is tempting to skip non-monetary benefits because they are harder to quantify, but the regulation requires their disclosure. Document them as carefully as cash expenditures.
Getting cost reporting right is not just about compliance. Accurate, transparent cost disclosure builds public trust in the political advertising process. When voters can see exactly how much was spent and where the money went, it strengthens the democratic accountability that the regulation aims to achieve.