Tech Giants Challenged: EU Compliance Call

2 Minute Read, January 27, 2024

A coalition of small European companies and industry groups, including Schibsted, Allegro, and over 20 others, has called on major tech corporations, often referred to as Big Tech. The goal is to involve them in discussions regarding compliance with new European Union (EU) rules. These rules, outlined in the Digital Markets Act (DMA), target 22 "gatekeeper" services provided by global tech giants such as Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, and TikTok owner ByteDance.

The DMA, introduced in September of the previous year, mandates these gatekeepers to collaborate with competitors on messaging apps and allow users to choose pre-installed apps on their devices. The companies must adhere to these regulations by March 6, 2024, to foster fair competition. Whether or not they will agree to these conditions is something we will discover in the coming months, but competitors are pleading for help.

In a joint open letter, companies like Schibsted and Allegro expressed concerns about the current engagement efforts by Big Tech, stating that dialogues with third parties have been insufficient, and proposed solutions fall short of DMA compliance. They emphasized the need for swift progress and transparency, urging Big Tech to initiate constructive dialogues with business users, stakeholders, and associations.

Noteworthy signatories to the letter include Germany's Idealo, French tech companies Qwant and Le Guide, as well as UK's Kelkoo, Proton, and Vipps MobilePay. The call aligns with recent appeals from European Commission officials for enhanced collaboration between Big Tech and various stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the EU rules.

As the March 6 deadline approaches, these European businesses and industry groups seek meaningful engagement from Big Tech to address compliance concerns and foster a more competitive digital market.