FantasticSearch

6. Where the processing of the requests pursuant to paragraph 1 entails significant costs, the provider of political advertising services may charge a reasonable and proportionate fee, which in any event shall not exceed the administrative costs of providing the information requested.

7. Providers of political advertising services shall bear the burden of demonstrating that a request is manifestly unclear, excessive or concerns information not in their possession, or that requests entail significant processing costs.

1. At the request of interested entities, providers of political advertising services shall transmit promptly and free of charge, and where technically possible in a machine-readable format, to those entities the information that those providers of political advertising services are required to have pursuant to Articles 9, 11 and 12.

2. Interested entities requesting the transmission of information pursuant to paragraph 1 shall be independent from commercial interests and shall fall in one or more of the following categories:

(a) vetted researchers in accordance with Article 40(8) of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065;

(b) members of a civil society organisation whose statutory objectives are to protect and promote the public interest, authorised under national or Union law;

(c) political actors;

(d) national or international electoral observers recognised in a Member State; or (e) journalists.

3. Following a request from an interested entity, the provider of political advertising services shall make best efforts to provide the requested information or a reasoned response under paragraph 5 as soon as possible and, at the latest, within one month.

4. When preparing the information to be provided pursuant to paragraph 1, the provider of political advertising services may aggregate the relevant amounts or place them in a range, to the extent necessary to protect its commercial legitimate interests.

5. Where requests pursuant to paragraph 1 are manifestly unclear, excessive or concern information not within the possession of the provider of political advertising services, that provider may refuse to provide the requested information. In such cases, the provider of political advertising services shall send a reasoned response to the interested entity making the request along with information on the possibilities for redress, including, where applicable, those that exist under Directive (EU) 2020/1828.