The Heart of the Regulation
Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2024/900 defines what every transparency notice must contain. It is the most operationally significant provision in the entire regulation — the one that translates principles into concrete data fields.
The requirements are detailed, but they follow a logical structure: who is behind the ad, who paid for it, how much it cost, who it targets, and how the public can raise concerns.
Below is a complete breakdown of each required element, with references to the specific provisions and the corresponding step in The Taurus wizard.
Sponsor Identity
Regulation reference: Art. 9(1)(a) PAR
Every transparency notice must identify the sponsor of the advertisement — the person or organization that commissioned it. The following information is required:
- Legal name of the sponsor (or full name for individuals)
- Contact details (address, email, phone)
- Registration number where applicable (e.g., party registry, commercial register)
- Country of establishment or residence
This is the most fundamental element of any transparency notice. Without knowing who is behind an advertisement, transparency is meaningless.
The Taurus wizard: Step 3 — Sponsor
Payer Identity
Regulation reference: Art. 9(1)(b) PAR
If the person or organization paying for the advertisement is different from the sponsor, the payer must also be identified. This captures scenarios such as:
- A parent organization funding a local chapter's campaign
- A third-party donor financing an advocacy group's advertising
- An advertising agency paying for placements on behalf of a client
The same data fields apply: legal name, contact details, registration number, and country of establishment.
If the sponsor and the payer are the same entity, this is simply stated in the notice.
The Taurus wizard: Step 4 — Payer and Controller
Costs and Funding
Regulation reference: Art. 9(1)(c) and Art. 9(1)(d) PAR
The notice must disclose:
- The amount paid for the advertisement (or, if final costs are not yet known at the time of publication, a reasonable estimate)
- The origin of the funds used to pay for the advertisement
Regarding the origin of funds, the notice must indicate:
- Whether the funding is public or private
- Whether the funding originates from within the EU or from outside the EU
This requirement is central to the regulation's anti-interference objective. By requiring disclosure of whether funds come from inside or outside the EU, the regulation makes it possible to identify potential foreign influence on political advertising.
The Taurus wizard: Step 6 — Costs
Campaign Information
Regulation reference: Art. 9(1)(e) PAR
If the advertisement is part of a broader campaign (e.g., a series of ads for the same purpose), the notice must include:
- The campaign name or description
- The total amount spent on the campaign as a whole (or an estimate if the campaign is still ongoing)
This ensures that transparency extends beyond individual ads to the larger campaign they belong to. A series of fifty small ads that individually appear modest can represent a significant campaign when viewed together.
If the ad is not part of a broader campaign, this can be indicated accordingly.
The Taurus wizard: Step 7 — Campaign
Election Linkage
Regulation reference: Art. 9(1)(f) PAR
The notice must identify:
- Which election, referendum, or legislative process the advertisement relates to
- The level of the election (local, regional, national, European)
- The date of the election (if known)
This linkage allows the public to understand the political context of the advertisement. An ad that runs two weeks before a European Parliament election carries different weight and context than one that runs outside an election period.
The Taurus wizard: Step 8 — Election
Targeting Methodology
Regulation reference: Art. 9(1)(g) PAR
If the advertisement uses personal data for targeting or delivery, the notice must provide a detailed description of:
- The targeting techniques used — e.g., demographic targeting, interest-based targeting, lookalike audiences, geotargeting
- The logic involved — including any profiling, algorithmic optimization, or automated decision-making
- Whether artificial intelligence was used in the targeting process
- The legal basis for processing personal data — typically consent under GDPR
- The groups of persons targeted — described in a way that is meaningful to the public (e.g., "women aged 25-45 in urban areas interested in environmental topics")
This is one of the most detailed requirements in the regulation, reflecting the EU's particular concern about micro-targeting in political advertising. The requirement ensures that voters can understand not just what message they are seeing, but why they, specifically, were chosen to see it.
If no personal data is used for targeting (e.g., a newspaper ad that reaches all readers equally), this is stated in the notice, and the detailed targeting fields do not apply.
The Taurus wizard: Step 2 — Targeting
Data Controller Information
Regulation reference: Art. 9(1)(g) PAR, in conjunction with GDPR
When personal data is used for targeting, the notice must also identify:
- The data controller(s) responsible for the processing of personal data in connection with the advertisement
- The controller's contact details
This creates a direct link between the transparency notice and GDPR accountability, ensuring that individuals who are targeted by political ads know who is responsible for the processing of their data.
The Taurus wizard: Step 4 — Payer and Controller
Complaint and Notification Mechanism
Regulation reference: Art. 15 PAR
Every sponsor must provide a mechanism through which the public can:
- Report concerns about the transparency notice (e.g., missing or incorrect information)
- Flag issues with the advertisement itself (e.g., misleading content)
The mechanism must be easily accessible and clearly described in the notice. In practice, this typically means providing a dedicated email address, a web form, or a reference to a complaints page.
The complaint mechanism ensures that transparency is not a static disclosure but an interactive process. The public can hold sponsors accountable, and sponsors can respond to and resolve concerns.
The Taurus wizard: Step 9 — Notification
Distribution Channel
Regulation reference: Art. 9(1) PAR, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1410
The notice must indicate where the advertisement is or will be published — the channels of distribution. This can include:
- Print media (specific newspaper or magazine)
- Online platforms (specific platform names)
- Broadcast media (TV or radio station)
- Outdoor advertising (description of locations)
The Taurus wizard: Step 5 — Placement
Language
Regulation reference: Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1410
The notice must indicate the language of the advertisement. If the ad appears in multiple languages, each language version requires its own notice or a single notice that covers all language versions.
The Taurus wizard: Step 1 — Basics
The Complete Picture
When all elements come together, a transparency notice answers every question a voter might reasonably ask about a political advertisement:
- Who is behind this ad? (Sponsor, Payer)
- How much did it cost, and where did the money come from? (Costs, Funding)
- Why am I seeing this ad? (Targeting)
- Which election does this relate to? (Election Linkage)
- Where is this ad being shown? (Distribution Channel)
- Who is responsible for my data? (Data Controller)
- What can I do if something is wrong? (Complaint Mechanism)
The Taurus wizard guides you through each of these elements in a logical sequence, validates your entries, and produces a notice that fully complies with Art. 9 PAR and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1410.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific questions about your compliance obligations, consult a qualified legal professional.