The Digital Services Act package 2022

The Digital Services Act package 2022

The DSA is part of the EU’s approach to regulating digital technologies, alongside the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and EU AI Act. It was signed into European Union law in November 2022 and passed officially in Ireland through the Digital Services Bill at the same time. It will come into full effect in the EU starting February 17th, 2024.

The EU Commission – through territory-specific digital services coordinators – will be able to impose fines on non-compliant organisations for violations of the Digital Services Act. The fines can amount to up to 6% of their organisation’s total worldwide annual turnover. In the case of repeat offenders and as a last resort, the digital services coordinator can ask a court for a temporary suspension of the non-compliant organisation’s service(s).

The Digital Services Act (DSA)

• The rules specified in the DSA primarily concern online intermediaries and platforms

The Digital Markets Act (DMA)

• The Digital Markets Act includes rules that govern gatekeeper online platforms. Gatekeeper platforms are digital platforms with a systemic role in the internal market that function as bottlenecks between businesses and consumers for important digital services.

The DSA and DMA have two main goals:

• to create a safer digital space in which the fundamental rights of all users of digital services are protected;
• to establish a level playing field to foster innovation, growth, and competitiveness, both in the European Single Market and globally.

Why do we need new rules?

Online platforms have created significant benefits for consumers and innovation and helped the European Union’s internal market become more efficient. They have also facilitated cross-border trading within and outside the Union. Despite a range of targeted, sector-specific interventions at EU-level, there are still significant gaps and legal burdens to address.

1. A core concern is the trade and exchange of illegal goods, services and content online.
2. Online services are also being misused by manipulative algorithmic systems to amplify the spread of disinformation, and for other harmful purposes.
3. The accelerating digitalisation of society and the economy has created a situation where a few large platforms control important ecosystems in the digital economy. They have emerged as gatekeepers in digital markets, with the power to act as private rule-makers. These rules sometimes result in unfair conditions for businesses using these platforms and less choice for consumers.

The European Commission believes that Europe requires a modern legal framework that ensures the safety of users online, establishes governance with the protection of fundamental rights at its forefront, and maintains fair and open online platform environment. The DSA and DMA are part of this framework, along with the Cyber Resilience Act, The EU AI Act as well as DORA in the Financial Services sector. All these Regulations aim to provide stability of the platforms used in everyday life in the European market.

Author: Neil Redmond, Director of Cyber Security, PWC and graduate of the Executive MBA (2004)