(Boursier.com) — GAFAM securities, Alphabet, Apple, Meta, Amazon and Microsoft, evolve shortly before stock market on Wall Street. Yet these American digital giants could be forced to change their business practices in Europe thanks to a provisional agreement between the European Parliament and the Council on the Digital Markets Act (DMA), setting rules for companies controlling access online platforms and user data.
The European Commission yesterday welcomed the political agreement reached quickly between the European Parliament and EU Member States on the Digital Markets Act. The regulation, on which an agreement was reached just over a year after it was proposed, is among the first initiatives of its type to comprehensively regulate the gatekeeper power enjoyed by the largest digital companies, comments the EC.
The digital markets legislation will apply to gatekeepers, companies that create bottlenecks between businesses and consumers, and sometimes even control entire ecosystems, formed by different platform services like online marketplaces. online, operating systems, cloud services or online search engines.
These access controllers will be subject to a number of clearly defined obligations and prohibitions established with regard to the most unfair market practices, or practices which create barriers for other companies or reinforce them, in the overall aim of guaranteeing the contestability of the digital services offered by access controllers.
At the same time, the legislation on digital markets will establish an effective control mechanism ensuring prompt compliance with specific obligations, adds the EC confidently.
This legislation is part of an ambitious reform of the digital space alongside the Digital Services Act, aimed at ensuring a safe and responsible online environment. Together, they constitute a comprehensive package of new rules that will apply to all digital services, including social media, online marketplaces and other online platforms active in the European Union. This package is a key element of the EU’s digital strategy to adapt Europe to the digital age.
The digital markets legislation will complement competition law enforcement at EU and Member State level. These new rules are without prejudice to the application of EU competition rules and national competition rules relating to unilateral conduct.
The political agreement reached by the European Parliament and the Council is now subject to the formal approval of the two co-legislators. Once adopted, the DMA Regulation will be directly applicable across the EU and implemented six months after entry into force.