Directory
Welcome to the ultimate resource for understanding global advertising and marketing compliance. This directory provides an essential breakdown of the enforcing agencies and their capability to issue fines across key European jurisdictions.
Staying compliant is non-negotiable. Use this tracker to identify the regulators governing your campaigns in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and the Nordic countries. We provide direct links to official websites and enforcement trackers to help you monitor regulatory activity and reduce your compliance risk.
Advertising & Marketing Enforcement in United Kingdom
Below is a list of the primary enforcement authorities and courts responsible for regulating advertising and marketing practices in the United Kingdom.
| Authority Name | Website | Scope of Enforcement | Fines / Penalties Capability | Enforcement Tracker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) | Official Website | General/Non-Regulated Sectors. Enforces consumer protection law across all industries (online and offline), targeting systemic issues like fake reviews, drip pricing, and misleading claims (e.g., greenwashing). | YES. Can issue massive fines up to 10% of global annual turnover for breaches of consumer law (under DMCCA 2024). | View Tracker |
| Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Official Website | Financial Services. Regulates all marketing and advertising (financial promotions) for investments, loans, pensions, and credit products. | YES. Issues multi-million-pound fines against firms and individuals for regulatory failures, including misleading promotions. | View Tracker |
| Gambling Commission (GC) | Official Website | Gambling and Betting. Licenses and regulates all advertising from operators, focusing on social responsibility, vulnerability protection, and clear/fair terms. | YES. Issues significant financial penalties and licence suspensions for breaches of licensing conditions, often related to marketing failures. | View Tracker |
| Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) | Official Website | Licensed Medicines and Devices. Regulates the safety and advertising of all licensed medicines and medical devices in the UK. | YES. Breaching medicine advertising regulations is a criminal offence and can lead to unlimited fines and/or imprisonment. | View Tracker |
| Trading Standards | Official Website | Legal Backstop (All Sectors). Enforces the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs), which makes misleading actions a criminal offence across all sectors. The ASA refers persistent non-compliers here. | YES. Pursues criminal prosecutions that can result in unlimited fines or prison sentences for serious breaches. | View Tracker |
| Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) | Official Website | All Media (Frontline Regulator). Enforces the UK Advertising Codes (CAP/BCAP) for all ads across all media (online, broadcast, print). | NO. It is a self-regulatory body. Its sanctions are ad withdrawal, referral to statutory authorities, and adverse publicity (e.g., placing non-compliant advertisers on a public list). | View Tracker |
| PMCPA | Official Website | Prescription Medicines (Self-Regulation). Administers the ABPI Code of Practice for the pharmaceutical industry, independently of the ABPI. | YES (Industry Sanction). Can impose a fine or remedial payment for serious breaches of the ABPI Code, which is an industry sanction, not a statutory fine. | View Tracker |
Advertising & Marketing Enforcement in Denmark 🇩🇰
Below is a list of the primary enforcement authorities and courts responsible for regulating advertising and marketing practices in the Denmark.
| Authority Name | Website | Scope of Enforcement | Fines / Penalties Capability | Enforcement Tracker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danish Consumer Ombudsman (Forbrugerombudsmanden) | Official Website | General Consumer Law/Marketing. Supervises compliance with the Danish Marketing Practices Act. Focuses on misleading, aggressive, or offensive marketing and contracts. | YES (Court Action). The Consumer Ombudsman supervises but breaches of the Marketing Practices Act are solely punishable by a fine imposed by a court, unless a severer penalty like criminal fraud applies. | View Tracker |
| Danish Environmental Protection Agency | Official Website | Misleading Marketing of Chemicals/Products. Enforces regulations against misleading marketing of chemical substances and products (e.g., greenwashing in this sector). | YES (Criminal). Breaches of these specific regulations may be subject to a fine or a prison sentence of up to two years. | N/A |
Advertising & Marketing Enforcement in France 🇫🇷
Below is a list of the primary enforcement authorities and courts responsible for regulating advertising and marketing practices in the France.
| Authority Name | Website | Scope of Enforcement | Fines / Penalties Capability | Enforcement Tracker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judicial Courts (Public Prosecutors) | N/A | General Consumer Protection (Criminal). Enforces the Consumer Code (Code de la consommation), which contains stringent provisions against misleading or false advertising practices. | YES (Criminal Penalties). Individuals or companies found guilty of violating the code may face significant fines and penalties, which can be increased for repeat offenders. Imprisonment is possible for certain serious breaches (e.g., pharmaceuticals). | N/A |
| Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL) | Official Website | Data Protection & Targeted Advertising. Regulates targeted advertising campaigns and ensures data protection compliance, particularly regarding user consent and opt-out rights (under GDPR). | YES. Can impose fines up to €20 million or 4% of worldwide annual turnover for infringements of the GDPR related to advertising practices (e.g., cold calling). | N/A |
| ARPP (Autorité de Régulation Professionnelle de la Publicité) | Official Website | Industry Self-Regulation. The French industry's self-regulatory body. Issues recommendations and monitors content. | NO. Its power is mainly preventive (pre-clearance services) and corrective (asking advertisers to amend or withdraw content). | N/A |
| DGCCRF (Direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes) | Official Website | General/Fraud Prevention. Enforces the Consumer Code, tackling misleading commercial practices, unfair contracts, and fraud across all sectors (including influencers and online selling). | YES. Can impose administrative fines and daily penalties (astreinte) on injunctions (up to €3,000/day or 0.1% of worldwide turnover for serious breaches) to force compliance. Criminal courts can impose fines up to €300,000 and imprisonment. | View Tracker |
Advertising & Marketing Enforcement in Germany 🇩🇪
Below is a list of the primary enforcement authorities and courts responsible for regulating advertising and marketing practices in the Germany.
| Authority Name | Website | Scope of Enforcement | Fines / Penalties Capability | Enforcement Tracker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competition Authorities (e.g., Federal Cartel Office, Regional Courts) | Official Website | Unfair Competition Law (UWG). The Act Against Unfair Competition (UWG) prohibits misleading advertising, aggressive commercial practices, and unwanted harassment. | YES (Administrative Fines/Penalties). Competition authorities can impose fines and penalties for serious violations of competition law. Fines up to €50,000 or up to 4% of annual turnover can be applied for violating consumer interests. | N/A |
| Courts (Civil Actions) | N/A | Competitor/Consumer Enforcement. Primary enforcement of the UWG is via civil law mechanisms, where competitors or consumer protection groups issue warnings and seek injunctions. | YES (Damages/Contractual Penalties). The successful party can claim damages and the court enforces cease-and-desist declarations with mandatory contractual penalties for recurrence. | N/A |
Advertising & Marketing Enforcement in Italy 🇮🇹
Below is a list of the primary enforcement authorities and courts responsible for regulating advertising and marketing practices in the Italy.
| Authority Name | Website | Scope of Enforcement | Fines / Penalties Capability | Enforcement Tracker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM) | Official Website | General/Competition. Enforces the Consumer Code and the law against unfair commercial practices, including misleading and aggressive advertising. | YES. Can impose administrative fines up to €5 million for unfair commercial practices and up to 10% of annual turnover for anticompetitive behavior. | View Tracker |
Advertising & Marketing Enforcement in Norway 🇳🇴
Below is a list of the primary enforcement authorities and courts responsible for regulating advertising and marketing practices in the Norway.
| Authority Name | Website | Scope of Enforcement | Fines / Penalties Capability | Enforcement Tracker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwegian Consumer Authority (CA) (Forbrukertilsynet) | Official Website | General Consumer Law/Marketing. Enforces the Marketing Control Act and other consumer protection laws. Focuses on illegal marketing, unfair contract terms, and hidden advertising. | YES. The CA can impose administrative fines (economic sanctions) for infringements of the Marketing Control Act, the Cancellation Act, and the Financial Agreements Act. | N/A |
Advertising & Marketing Enforcement in Sweden 🇸🇪
Below is a list of the primary enforcement authorities and courts responsible for regulating advertising and marketing practices in the Sweden.
| Authority Name | Website | Scope of Enforcement | Fines / Penalties Capability | Enforcement Tracker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swedish Consumer Agency / Consumer Ombudsman (Konsumentverket) | Official Website | General Consumer Law/Marketing. Supervisory authority for the Marketing Act. Takes action against unfair commercial practices, including misleading advertising and omission of material information. | YES (Conditional Fines). Can impose conditional fines (injunctions subject to a fine if breached) through the Patent and Market Court. The Consumer Ombudsman can impose conditional fines in cases of minor importance. | N/A |
Recent Advertising Enforcement Actions
Here you will find an open-source list for the most recent enforcement actions across Europe. The Hoopoz Team is constantly monitoring and updating this tracker to give you real-time insight into regulatory risk and compliance trends.
Disclaimer: This information is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always consult with a legal professional regarding specific compliance questions.
Page Last Updated: November 2025
