European Parliament approves new rules for digital platforms

15. 7. 2022

Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Digital Transformation

The Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) aim to set new rules for the use of the internet to make it safer for users, fairer for businesses, more legally predictable and more accountable for intermediary platforms. They increase the accountability of digital platforms for services and products, thereby improving the functioning of the internal market for digital services, creating a level playing field and legal certainty for smaller businesses, and protecting the rights and interests of all European citizens. The principle “that what is illegal in the real world is illegal online” is upheld, with particular attention to the protection of freedom of expression.

The European Parliament approved the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Market Act (DMA) Regulations on July 5th 2022. The Regulations still need to be approved by the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, which will complete the process of negotiation between the co-legislators. Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) is expected in October this year, and the Regulations will enter into force twenty days after publication. Due to the complex preparations of Member States for the implementation of the DSA Regulation, the entry into application is foreseen for early 2024.

The European Commission presented its legislative package on digital services, in December 2020. Agreement on the key solutions was reached between Member States at the EU Council during the Slovenian Presidency in November 2021. The French Presidency then continued negotiations with the European Parliament, which were successfully concluded with a political agreement in April 2022.