Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF)’s Post

The Digital Services Act is coming into practice in Germany!   This week, the German parliament has laid the legal groundwork for the national implementation of the #DSA. Good to see that the legislation grants independence to the German coordinator Bundesnetzagentur, foresees an advisory board and provides a much-needed research budget.   Over the last few months, our team at Possible (ehem. PUBLIC Deutschland) had the opportunity to conduct a study to support the German DSC Bundesnetzagentur in preparing for its duties. Our three main outputs: 1. A typology that differentiates between nine types of digital services under the DSA and maps corresponding business models. (see picture) 2. A decision-tree to assist service providers in assessing where their service falls within DSA regulation. 3. A screening that identifies relevant companies providing digital services for DSA oversight in Germany. We identified 4.501 relevant companies for Germany, a large proportion of which are more regulated types such as hosting and online platforms. This means: there is significant work ahead for DSCs across the EU to oversee and coordinate, for companies to enhance transparency, and for civil society to make use of new mechanisms with the aim of user protection.   You can find our study here: https://lnkd.in/e5rYMW8r Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or would like to discuss our findings/methodology further! #DigitalServicesAct Pia Sienz Carl J. Niederste Frielinghaus Luca Niermann

Today marks a milestone for technology regulation in the EU. The companies that have been designated as gatekeepers under the DMA last September must now start to comply with the obligations and prohibitions it establishes. We, at GERADIN PARTNERS, have been working on the DMA (and DMA-related issues) since before the Commission's proposal was published and we are thrilled to celebrate this milestone by announcing that we have been co-authoring and editing a book that will be published later this year (but can be pre-ordered). The book, which is an in-depth analysis of the DMA, will be published by Hart Publishing. Kudos in particular to my colleague Dr. Konstantina Bania who steered the project. can find more details about the book here: https://bit.ly/3P6VyPA #dma #digitalmarketsact #techregulation #platformregulation Activate to view larger image,

Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending the "European Platform Regulation after Two Years" conference at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) yesterday, organized by Martin Husovec. The discussions centered on the impact the Digital Services Act had in the two years since its entry into force by drawing insights from Martin's new book 📖 "Principles of the Digital Services Act" (OUP, 2024). The book's systematic analysis of the DSA's principles couldn't have come at a more crucial time. 💡One of the key takeaways from the discussions was the importance of clear communication about what the DSA is—and perhaps more importantly, what it isn't. With recent criticisms and misconceptions labeling the DSA as an instrument of censorship, it's essential to clarify that the DSA fundamentally focuses on processes platforms must have in place when moderating speech, not on defining specific content rules for the internet. ❗ The DSA's content-neutral approach was particularly discussed regarding the regulation's systemic risk mitigation requirements. Academics, NGOs, and practitioners share the anticipation for the first public reports on best practices for risk mitigation, which will shed light on the extent of Article 35's content-agnostic nature. And because no tech policy conference in 2024 would be complete without mention of Gen AI (spoiler alert: it came up! 😉), an additional challenge the DSA will face is the emergence of Gen AI applications integrating intermediary services capabilities such as online search.🔎These raise intriguing questions about the traditional intermediary service classification and whether the DSA's "safe harbour" liability framework is sufficiently robust to address this new category of services. Looking ahead at the DSA's teenage years, one thing's certain: there won't be a dull moment in platform regulation. More details: https://lnkd.in/dEGWaFhx #DigitalServicesAct #PlatformRegulation #DigitalPolicy

DMA DAY TOMORROW - March 7th, 2024 has been a big date looming above the skies of Europe. By tomorrow, all core platform services designated by the European Commission as gatekeepers under the DMA must comply with the DMA’s obligation and submit comprehensive reports demonstrating that. In our upcoming briefing series, we recap the key milestones of the DMA implementation, deep dive into the various obligations that gatekeepers are facing, lay out the DMA’s implications for stakeholders who are not (currently) within the direct scope of the legislation and update you on the current status of affairs in the DMA’s implementation. https://lnkd.in/ezdwSgUu #DigitalMarketsAct #TechRegulationEU #Gatekeepers #DigitalStrategyEU #CompetitionLaw #eucommission #blomstein

📚✨Check out the latest summer reading recommendation on Digital Transformation from the Connecting Europe Summer Reading List! 👇 Click below for the original post and remember to subscribe to the official account of Connecting Europe for the latest updates. #SummerReadingList #DigitalTransformation #DSA #EUAffairs interface (formerly SNV) European Policy Centre

🇪🇺 As the new European #Commissioners prepare to take office, Renaissance Numérique is publishing its review of the last five years of activity by the European Parliament and the European Commission in the field of #DigitalPolicy. 📃 On this occasion, the think tank urges the new EU officials to implement procedural and interpretative texts, in order to ensure an effective articulation between the major pieces of legislation adopted in recent years, rather than opening up new legislative areas. 🔴 This search for coherence has become a matter of urgency: conflicts of jurisdiction (particularly between #regulators) and the challenges of coordination risk not only generating inefficiency but also, and above all, injustice and insecurity. Read the note 👉 https://lnkd.in/ehS3pjcs #EUDigitalPolicy #DSA #DMA #AIAct #DataAct #DGA #CRA #NIS2 Cc: Etienne Drouard, Samuel LE GOFF, Anissa Kemiche, Rayna Stamboliyska, Jean-Luc Sauron, Justine A., Henri ISAAC, Annabelle Richard, Jérôme Adam, Lucien Castex, Valérie Fernandez, Elvire François (方艾文), Sophie Le Pallec, Smara Lungu, Philippe Régnard, Aude Schoentgen, Jean-François LUCAS, Jessica Galissaire

An informative and unsettling in-depth piece from the Computer & Communications Industry Association Europe re: the challenges and uncertainties of the Digital Markets Act. Key excerpt: “Consumers could receive updates they don’t want, notice changes to their favorite products they don’t like, and perhaps react in ways that policymakers in Brussels don’t expect.” Piece discusses four tradeoffs to watch. #DMA #DigitalMarketsAct #CCIAeurope #gatekeepers #EUDigital #EuropeanCommission #Vestager #FTC https://lnkd.in/eNZx6aWY

🌞📚 2024 Summer Reading List by Connecting Europe 📚🌞 ❗Explore two insightful publications on Digital Transformation—published by interface (formerly SNV) and authored by Dr. Julian Jaursch, project director at Interface: 1️⃣ 📖 "A Look Ahead at EU Digital Regulation: Oversight Structures in the Member States". A short analysis of the need for a national digital regulator to enforce existing EU digital laws. 📖🔗https://lnkd.in/dy-Gv7AY 2️⃣ 📖"The Digital Services Act is in Effect – Now What?". A Policy-Brief that unpacks the implications of Digital Services Coordinators for platform users, researchers, civil society, and companies. 👉🔗https://lnkd.in/dqiackie 🌞📖Happy summer reading and stay tuned for our next update! #SummerReading #ReadingList #EU #EUAffairs #DigitalServiceAct #DSA #DigitalTransformation European Policy Centre

On 4 July, the German Bundestag elected the members of the Digital Services Coordinator (DSC) Advisory Board. This step was taken following the entry into force of the German Digital Services Act (DDG) as the national transposition of the European Digital Services Act (DSA). Alexander Rabe, Managing Director of the eco Association, was elected to the Advisory Board with a cross-party majority as one of four representatives from industry associations. “The Digital Services Act will shape the framework conditions for the provision of digital services throughout the Internet industry. Standardised rules for the digital Single Market, as well as fair and reasonable liability rules, are therefore of essential importance to our member companies. Read more👉 https://go.eco.de/HJ4oxcZ #ecoAssociation #InternetIndustry #DSCAdvisoryBoard

📢 EU Commission Opens Formal Proceedings on Temu's Compliance with Digital Services Act (DSA) The European Commission has officially launched an investigation into whether Temu, a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) with over 92 million monthly users in the EU, has potentially breached key obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This proceeding addresses critical areas of concern linked to: 🔸 Sale of Non-Compliant Products: The Commission will evaluate the measures Temu has in place to prevent non-compliant and illegal products from being sold in the EU, especially systems to limit the reappearance of banned products and rogue traders. 🔸 Addictive Design Elements: Examining Temu’s game-like reward programs and other features, the Commission aims to determine whether these elements, which may encourage excessive use, could negatively impact users' mental and physical well-being. 🔸 Content and Product Recommendations: The investigation will assess how Temu complies with transparency requirements in its recommendation systems, including offering at least one option for users that doesn’t rely on profiling. 🔸 Data Access for Researchers: Under the DSA, platforms must grant researchers access to publicly available data. Compliance with this requirement is also under scrutiny. The proceedings mark a significant step, as Temu would face liability if found in violation of DSA obligations. The investigation follows initial assessments of Temu's recent risk assessment report and other data, alongside contributions from national digital services authorities, particularly the Irish Digital Services Coordinator. What’s Next? The Commission will continue gathering evidence and may request further data from Temu or other parties. While there’s no fixed timeline for the investigation, potential outcomes include a non-compliance decision or commitments from Temu to remedy the issues. This development underscores the EU's commitment to enforcing the DSA and ensuring safer digital spaces, especially as platforms continue to evolve and expand.  Our enforcement will guarantee a level playing field’, said Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age. #DigitalServicesAct #AdvantBeiten