QR codes for political ad transparency notices
Since 10 October 2025, every political ad in the EU, online or offline, must be labelled as a political ad and come with a transparency notice that names the sponsor, the amounts paid and the campaign. The notice can sit on the ad itself, or the ad can point to it with a web address or a QR code. For posters, leaflets and billboards a QR code is the practical choice. This guide sums up what Regulation (EU) 2024/900 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1410 require and how to set up a QR code you can still update after printing.
Who is responsible
Regulation (EU) 2024/900 on the transparency and targeting of political advertising applies directly in every member state. It places obligations on sponsors (parties, candidates, campaign organisers, referendum initiators), political advertising service providers such as agencies, and publishers such as media and billboard operators. The publisher must obtain the sponsor's declaration and make sure the ad carries the required information. In practice the sponsor or its agency usually publishes the notice on its own website and the publisher checks that the ad points to it.
What goes on the ad
Under Article 11, every political ad must carry a label that clearly, prominently and unambiguously states:
- that it is a political ad,
- the sponsor and, where relevant, the entity that controls it,
- where relevant, the election, referendum or legislative process it is linked to,
- where relevant, that targeting or ad-delivery techniques were used,
- the transparency notice, or a clear indication of where it can be easily and directly retrieved.
In print, the label should normally sit in a single frame with high contrast to the background. Each member state may add its own rules; in Slovenia, for example, a campaign poster must also name who commissioned it and carry a sequential poster number.
What the transparency notice must contain
| Item | What to state |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | name, email and published postal address or registered office; also the controlling entity and the payer, if different |
| Period | when the ad is published and disseminated |
| Amounts | aggregated amounts and other benefits received by service providers for the ad, and how they were calculated |
| Source of funds | public or private, from inside or outside the EU |
| Campaign | the linked election or referendum and a link to official information on how to vote |
| Targeting | whether targeting based on personal data was used, where relevant |
| Reporting | how people can report an ad they believe breaks the rules |
The notice must be in the language of the ad, written in plain language, available for as long as the ad runs and kept up to date. Publishers keep it, with its changes, for seven years after the ad last ran. Online political ads also go to the European repository for online political ads within 72 hours.
What the QR code must do
- Open the notice directly. The code may not lead to a party's home page or a general campaign page, only to the transparency notice for that ad.
- Scan with any phone. It needs high contrast with its background and a size that an ordinary phone camera reads easily.
In online labels, the link to the notice reads “Transparency notice” (in the language of the ad), in bold or in a different colour from the rest of the label.
Setting it up with 94.si
The notice changes during a campaign; the poster does not. So the QR code should hold a short link whose destination you can change, not the notice's own address.
- Publish the notice on your website, one address per ad or group of identical ads.
- Create a 94.si short link to it, one per ad or medium, so you can edit each destination separately.
- Download the QR code as SVG or EPS for print. Keep it dark on a light background.
- Place it inside the label frame, with the short address printed next to it for people who do not scan.
- Test the printed proof from the distance people will actually scan it.
Links on 94.si keep working until you delete them, on the free plan too, so they stay live through the retention period, and the analytics show how often each code was scanned. Do not add an advertising pixel or a password to these links, since either puts a page between the scan and the notice. For the same reason, pick a plan with enough clicks: once the included clicks are used up, links keep working but show a short 94.si notice page before redirecting.
Frequently asked questions
Does every political ad need a QR code?
Every political ad must carry the transparency notice or a clear indication of where it can be easily and directly retrieved. That indication can be a web address or a QR code. On posters, leaflets and billboards a QR code is the most practical option because the notice takes no space on the ad.
What must a transparency notice contain?
Under Article 12 of Regulation (EU) 2024/900, among other things: the sponsor's identity and contact details, the period of publication, the aggregated amounts paid for the ad, whether the funds are public or private and from inside or outside the EU, the calculation method, the linked election or referendum with a link to official voting information, and, where relevant, the use of targeting techniques.
Can I change the transparency notice after the poster is printed?
Yes, and the regulation requires it: amounts and other details must stay accurate for as long as the ad runs. If the QR code goes through a 94.si short link, you can also change the address the code opens after printing.
This guide is a practical summary, not legal advice. Check the regulations and the European Commission's guidelines for your specific case.
Print the QR code once
Create a short link to your transparency notice and download the QR code for print. You can change the destination after the posters are up. The app is available in English.
Create a free accountPrivacy and security at 94.siSources: Regulation (EU) 2024/900, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1410, European Commission: transparency and targeting of political advertising. In Slovenian: QR-koda za obvestilo o preglednosti na političnih oglasih.