The EU is preparing new digital legislation to “protect consumers” and “increase transparency.”

Europe already has the strongest consumer protection laws in the world.

Now, the idea on the table is to restrict targeted advertising – a move that would throw all European businesses using digital ads back to the stone age.

The law may sound harmless. In reality, the impact would be devastating:

• Fewer and less relevant choices for consumers

• Less competition in the market

• An internet dominated by just a handful of global giants

Restricting targeted advertising runs directly counter to the EU’s own ambition: to boost competitiveness, cut red tape, and make it easier for European businesses to grow and scale globally.

Instead, these restrictions would:

• Make it harder and more expensive for European companies to reach customers

• Block startups and SMEs from testing ideas and scaling across borders

• Drive innovation, jobs, and investment out of Europe – at the very moment we need them most

This is not simplification. This is stagnation.

That’s why we created EuropeOnPause – to show the real consequences of taking away one of the most vital tools for Europe’s businesses, organisations, non-profits, and innovators.

👉 If you agree, sign the petition and help us bring a united message from the European business ecosystem to decision-makers in Brussels.