Influencer Marketing Laws in Europe: What Brands and Creators Must Know in 2025

Influencer Marketing Laws in Europe: What Brands and Creators Must Know in 2025

Dipuck Jones •

May 19, 2025

influencer marketing
influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is booming in Europe, with billions being poured into collaborations between brands and creators. But with this rise comes increasing legal scrutiny.

Influencer marketing laws across the EU are being tightened to promote transparency, protect consumers, and penalise deceptive content.

In this guide, we break down the legal landscape, enforcement trends, and what both influencers and brands must do to stay compliant in 2025.


Why Influencer Marketing Laws Are Under the Spotlight
The European Commission now classifies influencers as “traders” under the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, meaning they’re held to the same standards as businesses.

If an influencer is compensated—whether with money, gifts, or free services—they’re legally required to disclose it. Otherwise, they may breach influencer marketing laws and face consequences.

To support this, the Influencer Legal Hub was launched in 2024 to offer guidance and templates for compliance.


How Influencer Marketing Laws Are Enforced Across Europe

Here’s what’s happening across the continent:

  • Spain: A 2023 investigation revealed that 77.75% of influencer content failed disclosure requirements (NatLaw Review).

  • Italy: Authorities issue “moral suasion letters” warning non-compliant influencers before imposing penalties.

  • France, Poland, Norway, and Denmark: Have introduced or updated influencer marketing laws to include steep fines—up to 10% of annual revenue in Poland.

Influencer Marketing Laws

These actions prove that influencer marketing laws aren’t just guidelines—they’re enforceable and evolving fast.

France and Italy: Leading the Legal Shift
🇫🇷 France’s Influence Law (2023)

France’s Law No. 2023-451 defines influencers, regulates paid partnerships, and restricts promotions of risky products. It's a milestone in influencer marketing legislation.

🇮🇹 Italy’s Ferragni Law (2024)

In response to the “Pandorogate” scandal, the Ferragni Law targets influencers with over 1 million followers and enforces new rules around transparency and charitable promotions.

These national laws build on the EU’s baseline and reflect the growing importance of localised influencer marketing compliance.


Compliance Checklist: What Influencers and Brands Must Do

Here’s how to stay on the right side of the law:

Disclose Every Partnership
Use terms like “ad,” “sponsored,” or “paid partnership” visibly and early in content.

Use Platform Tools
Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube all offer branded content tools—use them consistently.

Stay Consistent Across Formats
Whether it’s a Reel, Story, or static post, each needs a disclosure.

Monitor Regulatory Updates
Visit the Influencer Legal Hub or local consumer protection sites regularly.

Include Disclosure Clauses in Contracts
Brands must ensure their agreements reflect the latest influencer marketing laws in the creator’s country.

Compliance Checklist:


Why Brands Need to Care About Influencer Marketing Laws

Many companies assume influencers are solely responsible for disclosures—but that's not true.

Under EU law, brands can be held jointly liable for misleading or undisclosed promotions. That’s why legal-safe influencer partnerships are no longer optional—they’re essential.

💡 Pro Tip: Use Refluenced to issue automated, legally-aligned briefs to every creator you work with.


Ready to Future-Proof Your Campaigns?

Influencer marketing laws in Europe are no longer vague—they’re detailed, country-specific, and being enforced.

If you're still relying on informal deals or vague contract terms, now's the time to change.

Take a Product Tour of Refluenced and start building legally sound, performance-driven campaigns today.


FAQs About Influencer Marketing Laws (2025)

1. What are influencer marketing laws?
They’re legal rules across the EU requiring influencers to disclose paid partnerships, sponsored content, affiliate links, and gifted promotions.

2. Are all influencers subject to these laws?
Yes. Whether you have 500 followers or 5 million, if you're receiving compensation for content, you must comply.

3. What happens if I break influencer marketing laws?
Penalties vary by country—from warnings to fines up to 10% of your income (or a brand’s annual turnover).

4. Can brands be penalised too?
Absolutely. Brands are considered co-responsible under most influencer marketing laws, especially if they fail to ensure proper disclosure.

4. How can I make sure my influencer campaigns are compliant?
Use tools like Refluenced to manage contracts, automate disclosures, and stay aligned with evolving EU standards.

Influencer marketing is booming in Europe, with billions being poured into collaborations between brands and creators. But with this rise comes increasing legal scrutiny.

Influencer marketing laws across the EU are being tightened to promote transparency, protect consumers, and penalise deceptive content.

In this guide, we break down the legal landscape, enforcement trends, and what both influencers and brands must do to stay compliant in 2025.


Why Influencer Marketing Laws Are Under the Spotlight
The European Commission now classifies influencers as “traders” under the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, meaning they’re held to the same standards as businesses.

If an influencer is compensated—whether with money, gifts, or free services—they’re legally required to disclose it. Otherwise, they may breach influencer marketing laws and face consequences.

To support this, the Influencer Legal Hub was launched in 2024 to offer guidance and templates for compliance.


How Influencer Marketing Laws Are Enforced Across Europe

Here’s what’s happening across the continent:

  • Spain: A 2023 investigation revealed that 77.75% of influencer content failed disclosure requirements (NatLaw Review).

  • Italy: Authorities issue “moral suasion letters” warning non-compliant influencers before imposing penalties.

  • France, Poland, Norway, and Denmark: Have introduced or updated influencer marketing laws to include steep fines—up to 10% of annual revenue in Poland.

Influencer Marketing Laws

These actions prove that influencer marketing laws aren’t just guidelines—they’re enforceable and evolving fast.

France and Italy: Leading the Legal Shift
🇫🇷 France’s Influence Law (2023)

France’s Law No. 2023-451 defines influencers, regulates paid partnerships, and restricts promotions of risky products. It's a milestone in influencer marketing legislation.

🇮🇹 Italy’s Ferragni Law (2024)

In response to the “Pandorogate” scandal, the Ferragni Law targets influencers with over 1 million followers and enforces new rules around transparency and charitable promotions.

These national laws build on the EU’s baseline and reflect the growing importance of localised influencer marketing compliance.


Compliance Checklist: What Influencers and Brands Must Do

Here’s how to stay on the right side of the law:

Disclose Every Partnership
Use terms like “ad,” “sponsored,” or “paid partnership” visibly and early in content.

Use Platform Tools
Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube all offer branded content tools—use them consistently.

Stay Consistent Across Formats
Whether it’s a Reel, Story, or static post, each needs a disclosure.

Monitor Regulatory Updates
Visit the Influencer Legal Hub or local consumer protection sites regularly.

Include Disclosure Clauses in Contracts
Brands must ensure their agreements reflect the latest influencer marketing laws in the creator’s country.

Compliance Checklist:


Why Brands Need to Care About Influencer Marketing Laws

Many companies assume influencers are solely responsible for disclosures—but that's not true.

Under EU law, brands can be held jointly liable for misleading or undisclosed promotions. That’s why legal-safe influencer partnerships are no longer optional—they’re essential.

💡 Pro Tip: Use Refluenced to issue automated, legally-aligned briefs to every creator you work with.


Ready to Future-Proof Your Campaigns?

Influencer marketing laws in Europe are no longer vague—they’re detailed, country-specific, and being enforced.

If you're still relying on informal deals or vague contract terms, now's the time to change.

Take a Product Tour of Refluenced and start building legally sound, performance-driven campaigns today.


FAQs About Influencer Marketing Laws (2025)

1. What are influencer marketing laws?
They’re legal rules across the EU requiring influencers to disclose paid partnerships, sponsored content, affiliate links, and gifted promotions.

2. Are all influencers subject to these laws?
Yes. Whether you have 500 followers or 5 million, if you're receiving compensation for content, you must comply.

3. What happens if I break influencer marketing laws?
Penalties vary by country—from warnings to fines up to 10% of your income (or a brand’s annual turnover).

4. Can brands be penalised too?
Absolutely. Brands are considered co-responsible under most influencer marketing laws, especially if they fail to ensure proper disclosure.

4. How can I make sure my influencer campaigns are compliant?
Use tools like Refluenced to manage contracts, automate disclosures, and stay aligned with evolving EU standards.

Influencer marketing is booming in Europe, with billions being poured into collaborations between brands and creators. But with this rise comes increasing legal scrutiny.

Influencer marketing laws across the EU are being tightened to promote transparency, protect consumers, and penalise deceptive content.

In this guide, we break down the legal landscape, enforcement trends, and what both influencers and brands must do to stay compliant in 2025.


Why Influencer Marketing Laws Are Under the Spotlight
The European Commission now classifies influencers as “traders” under the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, meaning they’re held to the same standards as businesses.

If an influencer is compensated—whether with money, gifts, or free services—they’re legally required to disclose it. Otherwise, they may breach influencer marketing laws and face consequences.

To support this, the Influencer Legal Hub was launched in 2024 to offer guidance and templates for compliance.


How Influencer Marketing Laws Are Enforced Across Europe

Here’s what’s happening across the continent:

  • Spain: A 2023 investigation revealed that 77.75% of influencer content failed disclosure requirements (NatLaw Review).

  • Italy: Authorities issue “moral suasion letters” warning non-compliant influencers before imposing penalties.

  • France, Poland, Norway, and Denmark: Have introduced or updated influencer marketing laws to include steep fines—up to 10% of annual revenue in Poland.

Influencer Marketing Laws

These actions prove that influencer marketing laws aren’t just guidelines—they’re enforceable and evolving fast.

France and Italy: Leading the Legal Shift
🇫🇷 France’s Influence Law (2023)

France’s Law No. 2023-451 defines influencers, regulates paid partnerships, and restricts promotions of risky products. It's a milestone in influencer marketing legislation.

🇮🇹 Italy’s Ferragni Law (2024)

In response to the “Pandorogate” scandal, the Ferragni Law targets influencers with over 1 million followers and enforces new rules around transparency and charitable promotions.

These national laws build on the EU’s baseline and reflect the growing importance of localised influencer marketing compliance.


Compliance Checklist: What Influencers and Brands Must Do

Here’s how to stay on the right side of the law:

Disclose Every Partnership
Use terms like “ad,” “sponsored,” or “paid partnership” visibly and early in content.

Use Platform Tools
Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube all offer branded content tools—use them consistently.

Stay Consistent Across Formats
Whether it’s a Reel, Story, or static post, each needs a disclosure.

Monitor Regulatory Updates
Visit the Influencer Legal Hub or local consumer protection sites regularly.

Include Disclosure Clauses in Contracts
Brands must ensure their agreements reflect the latest influencer marketing laws in the creator’s country.

Compliance Checklist:


Why Brands Need to Care About Influencer Marketing Laws

Many companies assume influencers are solely responsible for disclosures—but that's not true.

Under EU law, brands can be held jointly liable for misleading or undisclosed promotions. That’s why legal-safe influencer partnerships are no longer optional—they’re essential.

💡 Pro Tip: Use Refluenced to issue automated, legally-aligned briefs to every creator you work with.


Ready to Future-Proof Your Campaigns?

Influencer marketing laws in Europe are no longer vague—they’re detailed, country-specific, and being enforced.

If you're still relying on informal deals or vague contract terms, now's the time to change.

Take a Product Tour of Refluenced and start building legally sound, performance-driven campaigns today.


FAQs About Influencer Marketing Laws (2025)

1. What are influencer marketing laws?
They’re legal rules across the EU requiring influencers to disclose paid partnerships, sponsored content, affiliate links, and gifted promotions.

2. Are all influencers subject to these laws?
Yes. Whether you have 500 followers or 5 million, if you're receiving compensation for content, you must comply.

3. What happens if I break influencer marketing laws?
Penalties vary by country—from warnings to fines up to 10% of your income (or a brand’s annual turnover).

4. Can brands be penalised too?
Absolutely. Brands are considered co-responsible under most influencer marketing laws, especially if they fail to ensure proper disclosure.

4. How can I make sure my influencer campaigns are compliant?
Use tools like Refluenced to manage contracts, automate disclosures, and stay aligned with evolving EU standards.

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