Mobile phone apps – Photo © aey – Fotolia
(BRUSSELS) – Internet platforms Booking, ByteDance and X could be subject to new EU rules on gatekeeper platforms, after notifying the Commission they potentially meet Digital Markets Act thresholds.
Companies may become subject to new obligations under the DMA if they operate a so-called core platform service, such as, among others, search engines, app stores, messenger services, and also meet the following criteria: have 45 million monthly active end users and 10,000 yearly business users, have a significant impact on the market and have a stable market position.
Under the DMA, companies identified as gatekeepers will be subject to a number of clearly specified obligations.
Gatekeepers will carry extra responsibility to conduct themselves in a way that ensures an open online environment that is fair for businesses and consumers, and open to innovation by all, by complying with specific obligations laid down in the legislation.
Six companies including Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft have already been designated as gatekeepers for 22 core platform services and the DMA rules will apply to them as of 7 March 2024.
The Commission now has 45 working days, i.e. until 13 May 2024, to decide whether to designate the companies as gatekeepers. The EU executive will also assess any argument put forward by the companies to rebut the presumption that they should be designated as gatekeepers. If designated, gatekeepers will have six months to comply with the requirements in the DMA.
Digital Markets Act - guide
