Tech Giants and The Digital Markets Act

Tech giants will likely challenge a new European Union law aimed at reining in their power. The first cases in a potential wave of litigation are expected by year-end, one of the EU's top judges said last week.

The Digital Markets Act (DMA), which came into force in November, will classify online platforms with more than 45 million users as gatekeepers, among other criteria.

The gatekeepers - companies that control data and platform access - are subject to a list of do’s, such as making their messaging services interoperable, and don’ts, including not favouring their products and services on their platforms.

Those disagreeing with the label and requirements are likely to take their complaint to the Luxembourg-based General Court within months, its president Marc van der Woude said.

“Probably the end of this year, beginning of next year we might see the first cases and I don't think it will stop”, he told a conference organised by the European Commission.

Some, like Google and Apple, have lobbied intensively against the DMA.

But van der Woude said the DMA was still evolving. He said areas of dispute will likely focus on the gatekeeper designation, specifications of their obligations and during enforcement of the DMA.

A contentious area is likely to be the requirement on gatekeepers to notify their acquisitions to the Commission and whether such deals meet the threshold for regulatory scrutiny.

- CyberBeat