Public Affairs - Protecting your freedom to advertise

As the reach, importance and influence of the internet grows, so does interest from policymakers in ways to regulate it to protect the interest of the consumer. From data protection laws, e-commerce and consumer protection laws and controls on what can be advertised and to whom and how, legislation has a significant impact on any business – positive or negative. We protect the industry through our public affairs activities.

IAB Europe is the industry’s primary and respected representative for the European and international institutions. Our experienced team led by IAB Europe’s Vice President Kimon Zorbas follows and drives developments that impact the online industry and the interactive marketing and advertising to ensure that the regulators and policymakers receive the right information at the right time to inform decisions and support them with subject matter expertise. IAB Europe works jointly with its national IABs to complement the outreach at European level with national initiatives.

Two committees work on public affairs:

• The Policy Committee (PC)
• The Web Analytics Committee (WAC)

As a member of IAB Europe you will benefit from briefings on current debates as well as updates on the progress of proposed legislation (to receive the Public Affairs Weekly updates please register here) and drive the debate jointly within the committees & Board. IAB Europe provides additional support to top level staff members with advice & support on how to navigate Brussels and advises members on high-level policy strategy and company-specific matters.
For any questions on Public Affairs please contact our colleague Lucile Barjot here.

• E-Privacy Directive Transposition: providing members with the information and materials to advocate a workable solution across EEA/EU
• IAB Europe OBA Framework: promoting self-regulation for online behavioural advertising (including compliance and enforcement)
• Data Protection Directive Review: promoting necessary changes to improve today’s regime at EU and Member State level in cooperation with national IABs
• Do-not-track (DNT): IAB Europe is a member of W3C and promotes a workable and meaningful standardisation of DNT
• Advertising and IP: Evaluation and proposals on how to promote responsible advertising across the value chain.

Studies and white papers

	Consumers driving the digital uptake – The economic value of online advertising-based services for consumers McKinsey, September 2010  Download the study
	Online Jobs Boosting Europe's Competitiveness Vlerick Business School, February 2013  Download the study

Key resources

Please go to the Public Affairs section of the Knowledge Bank to find all the revelant documentation in relation with our key initiatives.