Meta and Google Halt Political Ads in EU, Leaving Industry Scrambling

Charley Stoney, European Association of Communications Agencies CEO

With Meta now joining Google in suspending all political advertising across the European Union ahead of the 2025 elections, the advertising industry is left facing a multi-million-euro dilemma: where will that ad spend be redirected? With just months until the 2025 elections, the European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA) warns that legal uncertainty around the EU’s new political ad rules (TTPA) is already reshaping the digital media landscape.

“With Meta and Google stepping away from political ads, the big question now is: where will this significant spend shift? We are entering into a new phase of political advertising in Europe, and our member agencies must be ready to advise clients navigating new media landscapes”, said Charley Stoney, CEO of EACA.

Data shows that since January 2023, €43.7 million has been spent on political advertising across Google, YouTube, and partner platforms. Germany topped the list with €11.1 million, followed by Romania (€6.42 million) and Poland (€4.69 million). In Belgium alone, political parties spent an estimated €15 million on digital campaigns in 2024. The ad tech landscape for elections is being redrawn, and many advertisers are now racing to find compliant, effective alternatives.

EACA has been actively involved throughout the legislative process of the EU’s Political Advertising Regulation (TTPA). The association has urged policymakers to define key terms, set objective criteria, protect routine business advertising, and draw a clear line between organic advocacy and targeted political ads. EACA has also cautioned against excessive bureaucracy and called for close cooperation with industry to ensure consistent application across all Member States.

To support agencies, the organisation released a Practitioners’ Guide to Political Advertising, offering practical insights, compliance checklists, and clarity for agencies

“The goal was more transparency, not less political communication”, mentioned Charley. “At EACA, we are committed to staying ahead of EU decisions that directly impact our industry. Together with our head of public affairs, Dr Mónika Magyar, we have been closely following the development of the TTPA and raising concerns on behalf of our members. The decisions by Meta and Google highlight just how much regulatory uncertainty is affecting the entire advertising ecosystem. We will continue to monitor implementation closely and ensure our members are informed, equipped, and represented at every stage”.