What is the euconsent-v2 cookie?
euconsent-v2 is a technical cookie tied to the IAB Europe Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF) version 2, used across a large number of digital advertising platforms in Europe. It isn't set by a single vendor but by the Consent Management Platform (CMP) implemented on the site, once a visitor makes a choice regarding cookies.
It typically appears right after the user interacts with the consent banner (accepts, rejects, or customizes preferences), and is later read by advertising and analytics scripts that participate in the TCF ecosystem to decide which data processing activities they may run.
What data it stores
The cookie's value is a string encoded according to the TCF specification (TC String), containing information such as the policy version, consent timestamp, the CMP identifier used, and the list of purposes, IAB-registered vendors, and technologies the visitor has approved or rejected. It is not human-readable plain text but a standardized, binary-encoded format defined by IAB Europe.
The data is read locally by authorized third-party scripts via the global __tcfapi API, and some vendors may also transmit this string to their own servers to document the consent obtained.
What it is used for
Its main purpose is to communicate, in a standardized and interoperable format, what permissions the visitor has granted or refused for data processing by vendors registered in the IAB Europe Global Vendor List (targeted advertising, measurement, content personalization, etc.).
For site owners, this cookie enables integration with dozens or hundreds of advertising partners without needing separate agreements with each one, since they all read the same consent format.
Does it require consent?
Under CookieFix's classification, euconsent-v2 is marked as strictly necessary, since it stores the visitor's own consent choices and is required for the consent mechanism to function — it does not itself trigger marketing or analytics processing.
- It generally does not require prior consent to be set, under the common interpretation of Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive (as implemented locally, e.g. Romania's Law 506/2004), similar to other technical consent cookies.
- It should still be explicitly listed in the site's cookie policy, with its purpose, duration, and category.
- Site owners must ensure their CMP correctly generates and updates this cookie whenever a visitor changes their choices.
How to block or delete euconsent-v2
A visitor can delete or block this cookie via browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — per-site cookie management), but without it, the TCF consent banner will reappear on every visit, since the browser no longer retains the prior choice.
For site owners who want full control over when third-party scripts run, a CMP such as CookieFix can automatically block advertising and analytics scripts until the visitor gives consent, then generate the euconsent-v2 cookie in line with the response received.
Frequently asked questions
No, it doesn't directly track the visitor — it only stores the consent choices made. Actual tracking, if any, is done by the advertising cookies it authorizes.
Because it's part of a shared standard (IAB TCF) adopted by thousands of sites and advertising platforms across Europe, not specific to one vendor.
No, it's considered strictly necessary for the consent mechanism to work, but it should be listed in the site's cookie policy.
The consent banner will appear again on the next visit, since the site no longer has a record of the previous choice.