Werbung und Marktkommunikation, Fachverband

AIG Newsletter 27 October 2025

Advertising Information Group-Newsletter

Lesedauer: 4 Minuten

CONTENT:

NEWS
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

NEWS

In this week's edition: Executive Vice-President Virkkunen delivers her inaugural Annual Progress Report on the Digital Rulebook. The EP provisionally agrees additional procedural rules on GDPR cross-border enforcement. Meanwhile, the EP Special Committee on the EU Democracy Shield (EUDS) discusses online advertising and media resilience. The EP IMCO Committee discusses the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive and adopts its report on the protection of minors online. Several EU Leaders write to the EU Council President demanding systematic review of all EU laws, while a leaked programme for the Cypriot Presidency shows simplification as a priority. The EC publishes its long-awaited 2026 Work Programme and finally, Dutch data protection authority fines Experian for improper use of personal data.

EVP VIRKKUNEN BRIEFS COUNCIL AND EP ON DIGITAL RULEBOOK

On 21 October, Executive Vice-President Virkkunen delivered her inaugural Annual Progress Report to the Council and EP. The report previews the forthcoming Digital Simplification Package due on 19 November, which encompasses a Digital Omnibus designed to streamline regulations concerning data, and artificial intelligence. It also outlines ongoing work to implement and enforce EU legislation, including the DSA, DMA, AI Act, EMFA and AVMSD.

EP AGREES GDPR CROSS-BORDER ENFORCEMENT RULES

On 21 October, the EP approvedthe provisional agreement on additional procedural rules for enforcing the GDPR. The rules introduce clear deadlines for investigations, requiring supervisory authorities to conclude cases within 15 months. They encourage early consensus between authorities and establish a mechanism to resolve cases quickly if infringements cease and complainants raise no objections.

EP EUDS EXCHANGES VIEWS ON ONLINE ADVERTISING

On 13 October, the EP Special Committee on the EU Democracy Shield (EUDS) held a discussion with What To Fix on online advertising and media resilience. Participants highlighted the negative impact on traditional media, the blurring of commercial and political advertising, and the risks of opaque targeting and monetisation practices. There was broad agreement on the need for stronger EU oversight to ensure transparency in advertising revenues, fair redress for wrongful demonetisation, and stricter due diligence to prevent abuse.

EP IMCO DISCUSSES EMP CO DIRECTIVE (GREEN TRANSITION)

On 16 October, the EP IMCO Committee held a scrutiny session with DG JUST on the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive and its new Implementing Regulation introducing an EU durability label. DG JUST presented a harmonised durability label and legal guarantee notice to help consumers identify reliable, long-lasting products. The measures aim to counter misleading green claims while promoting transparency and trust in environmental advertising. Both instruments will appear in shops from September 2026.

EP IMCO VOWS TO STRENGHTEN MINOR PROTECTION ONLINE

On 16 October, the EP IMCO Committee adoptedits final reporton the protection of minors online. The adopted report calls for an EU-wide digital minimum age of 16 for social media and AI companions without parental consent, and 13 for general social media, supported by privacy-respecting age assurance. It urges full DSA enforcement, including fines or bans and personal liability for senior management, and calls on the future Digital Fairness Act to curb persuasive technologies such as targeted ads, influencer marketing, loot boxes, and dark patterns. Parliament will vote on these recommendations in November.

EU LEADERS DEMAND SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF ALL EU LAWS

Several EU Leaders including Germany's Merz, France's Macron, Italy's Meloni, and Poland's Tusk have writtento the European Council President calling for a “systematic review” of all EU laws to identify outdated, excessive, or unbalanced regulations. They advocate a four-year programme of law-unmaking dominated by a “constant stream” of omnibus proposals. The push aligns with von der Leyen’s announcementthat in 2026 the EC will reform its law-making approach and propose multiple omnibuses.

LEAKED CYPRIOT PRESIDENCY PROGRAMME SUGGESTS SIMPLIFICATION PRIORITY

According to a leaked programme, the Cypriot Presidency will prioritise simplifying regulations to reduce red tape and create a more business-friendly environment. The programme emphasises the need to make rules more effective, proportionate, and easier to apply, rather than deregulating.

EC PUBLISHES 2026 WORK PROGRAMME

Published on 21 October, the EC 2026 work programmeoutlines actions to strengthen Europe’s sovereignty, competitiveness, and resilience. Building on prior commitments, it prioritises boosting industrial innovation, clean and digital technologies, social protections, and collective security, while cutting red tape and simplifying EU laws to reduce costs for citizens and businesses. Notably, the work programme highlights updates to the AVMSD with a strong focus on simplification, while the Green Claims Directive remains a pending proposal.

DUTCH AP FINES EXPERIAN FOR IMPROPER USE OF PERSONAL DATA

The Dutch data protection authority (AP) has finedExperian Nederland B.V. €2.7 million for breaches of the GDPR, citing a lack of transparency in its data collection practices and an inadequate legal basis for processing personal data. Experian gathered information from both public and private sources without sufficiently informing individuals.