As part of the industry’s effort to implement the self-regulatory programme on OBA in Europe, the criteria for self-certification of compliance with the IAB Europe OBA Framework are now available to signatory companies.

The document is based on the IAB Europe OBA Framework, EASA Best Practice Recommendation on Online Behavioural Advertising and the Technical Specifications for implementing the IAB Europe OBA Framework and EASA BPR in Europe.

The “self-certification criteria for signatories of the IAB Europe OBA Framework” document provides signatory companies with a comprehensive set of criteria for self-certification of compliance, describing the requirements applicable to different roles played by companies in the digital advertising ecosystem.

It lays down a set of general criteria applicable to all signatory companies, such as requirements related to data security, sensitive segmentation, education and complaints handling; as well as a set of specific criteria, detailed by companies’ role in the digital advertising market, and concerning in particular companies that are acting as third parties.

Once the criteria for self-certification of compliance are fulfilled, companies will notify the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA) via an on-line form, to be made available on EDAA’s website before 1 June 2012. Companies that have signed the IAB Europe OBA Framework before 1 January 2012 must become compliant and self-certify by 30 June 2012; and companies that sign the IAB Europe OBA Framework after 1 January 2012 must become compliant and self-certify within 6 months of the signing date. The EDAA will publish and update the list of signatory companies that are self-certified on its website.

The “European Framework for Online Behavioural Advertising” has been published by IAB Europe on 11 April 2011, providing increased transparency and control for Online Behavioural Advertising. The IAB Europe OBA Framework lays down a structure for codifying industry good practices and establishes certain principles to increase transparency and choice for web users within the EU/EEA. The principles are intended to apply consumer friendly standards to Online Behavioural Advertising and the collection of online data in order to facilitate the delivery of advertising based on the preferences or interests of web users. This signatory-based code of conduct has now gained significant support in the digital advertising market, with 113 major players endorsing it.

>> The self-certification criteria document can be downloaded from here.