The Digital Markets Act, which regulates large companies such as Apple, Google and Meta and imposes fines of up to 10% of sales, receives final approval from the European Council

The European Commission (EC) , the policy enforcement body of the European Union (EU) , said in December 2020 that the regulations so far are insufficient to prevent the market monopoly of big technology companies ( Big Tech ) such as Apple and Google. That said, he proposed the ' Digital Markets Act ,' which fines violating companies up to 10% of global sales. The Digital Markets Act has continued to steadily approach legislation, and in a statement on July 18, 2022, the European Council , consisting of the leaders of EU member states and the President of the European Commission, finally approved the Digital Markets Act. Was reported.

DMA: Council gives final approval to new rules for fair competition online --Consilium
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/07/18/dma-council-gives-final-approval-to-new-rules-for-fair-competition-online/

European Council approves Digital Markets Act rules | AppleInsider
https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/07/19/european-council-approves-digital-markets-act-rules

The Digital Markets Act is a law proposed by EC together with the 'Digital Services Act' in order to suppress the power of big tech such as Google, Amazon, and Meta and solve the problem of market monopoly. While the Digital Services Act requires a wide range of online intermediaries to quickly remove illegal content, the Digital Markets Act is anti-competitive with companies that fall under the large-scale online platform 'Gatekeeper', such as preferential treatment of their own services. It is forbidden to take any kind of action.

Specifically, companies certified as gatekeepers will 'enable to uninstall all apps,' 'make it easy to unsubscribe from core platform services,' and 'text messages and voice across multiple messaging services.' Allows interoperability of basic functions such as sending and receiving message files '' Allows developers to provide third-party payment systems in apps '' Gives business users access to marketing or advertising performance data on the platform 'Allow' is required.

In addition, gatekeepers are prohibited from 'ranking their products and services higher than those of other companies', 'pre-installing specific apps and software to prevent users from easily uninstalling', and 'OS'. There are such things as requiring the installation of important software such as a browser when installing, 'prohibiting developers from using third-party payment systems', and 'reusing personal data collected by one service in another'. Gatekeepers who violate these matters will be fined up to 10% of total worldwide sales, and if they commit again, the fine will be raised to up to 20%.

The Digital Markets Act is steadily on the road to legislation, with the EC approving the draft Digital Markets Act in November 2021 and the agreement between the European Council and European Parliament officials on the final draft in March 2022. I have advanced. And in July, the 'Digital Services Package', which combines the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act, was officially approved by the European Parliament.

The 'Digital Market Law' and 'Digital Services Law' created by the EU to regulate Big Tech such as Apple, Google, and Meta are grouped together as a 'digital service package' and officially approved-GIGAZINE

The Digital Services Package requires final approval by the European Council prior to its entry into force in the fall of 2022, and the European Council reported in a statement on 18 July 2022 that it had given final approval to the Digital Markets Act. did. From now on, if the President of the European Parliament and the President of the European Council sign and publish in the Official Journal of the European Union, the regulation will be applied six months later. The Digital Services Act is scheduled to be adopted by the European Council in September 2022.

'With the final adoption of the Digital Markets Act, we are finally responsible for the actions of large online platforms,' said Ivan Bartoš , Minister of Regional Development of the Czech Republic and Deputy Prime Minister for Digitization. This will change the EU's online space around the world. The gatekeepers covered by the Digital Markets Act are everywhere and we all use their services on a daily basis. However, their power has grown to the point of negatively impacting competition. Thanks to the Digital Markets Act, we have fair competition online, improved consumer convenience, and new business opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises. Can be secured. '

Hacker News, a social news site, commented on the final approval of the Digital Markets Act by the European Council, saying, 'By complying with the Digital Markets Act, purchasing an iPhone will be an option,' and 'People are already apps. 'We are choosing between buying an Android that is easy to sideload and an iPhone that has a strong enclosure,' he said . 'In Europe, iOS lags behind Android, but the Digital Markets Act is enforced. More Europeans will buy the iPhone at. '

EU Digital Markets Act, aimed at Google, Apple, Amazon, approved | Hacker News
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32163704