The invention resides in the field of intermittently transporting of tapes, especially the transporting of tapes bearing adhesive labels in an apparatus by means of which the adhesive labels can be dispensed individually in succession and applied on an article. The device (14) used for transporting the tape includes a tape clamp movable forward and backward along the tape with a clamping member (31) movable between a tape clamping position and a tape releasing position and a counterclamp member (32); the tape (9) is passed between the clamping member (31) and the counterclamp member (32). The tape (9) is provided with control recesses (25) and the transporting device (14) comprises a control sensor (39) bringing the clamping member (31) into the tape clamping position when said sensor drops into a control recess (25). The control sensor (39) is movable relative to the clamping member (31) and is designed so that, when dropping into a control recess (25) it comes into positive engagement with the tape (9). Owing to the positive engagement between the tape (9) and the control sensor (39) the clamping member (31) held in the tape releasing position is moved into the tape clamping position. In this embodiment of the transporting unit a precisely defined instant of activation is attained when the tape clamp grips the tape (9) and carries it along.