CEE Democracy Watch (CEEDDW) participated in the European Commission’s public consultation on the “Format, template and technical specifications of the labels and transparency notices of political advertisements.”
CEEDDW submitted detailed recommendations to enhance the integrity and effectiveness of political ad labelling systems. The feedback highlighted the need for strict safeguards ensuring labels remain unchanged between account verification and ad broadcast, and stressed that public labels must consistently present the original verified data.
To support transparency, CEEDDW advocated for keeping records of removed ads — along with associated spending data — publicly available in ad repositories, so researchers and regulators can assess enforcement practices.
The submission also called for maximised real-time visibility of all labels in both ads and ad repositories throughout election campaigns, extending transparency to cover election silent periods, with recommendations for automatic shutdown mechanisms for restricted ads during these times. In addressing potential regulatory overlap, CEEDDW urged alignment between EU-wide TTPAR labelling and national requirements, arguing for clear guidance to prevent double-labelling and clarify the responsibilities of platforms versus buyers.
Finally, CEEDDW emphasized the importance of a human-in-the-loop approach for label verification, particularly for high-spending ads, with moderators fluent in local languages and contexts to ensure the accuracy and relevance of political ad labelling.
CEEDDW remains committed to constructive engagement on technical standards that promote trust, transparency, and democratic integrity in political advertising across the European Union.