The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has expressed concern over reports that the European Commission intends to grant U.S. tech giants a say in the implementation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
“This disregards the European Parliament, which passed the DMA in 2022 to protect democracy and fair competition. European values must not be sacrificed for dirty deals to avoid car tariffs,” warns Hanna Möllers, legal adviser of the German Journalists’ Association (Deutscher Journalisten-Verband, one of EFJ’s affiliates in Germany).
The DMA is intended to curb the dominance of large platforms and create a fairer digital marketplace. It forces the tech industry to ensure interoperability and prohibits the prevention of external linking for consumers. This, in turn, protects European media from market-abusive behavior by platform operators and secures their survival.
“Involving the gatekeepers in enforcing the very rules that are meant to restrict them is like letting the fox guard the henhouse. It contradicts the intention of the law and demands a clear response,” Möllers concludes.
If these reports are confirmed, member states and the European Parliament must immediately file an inaction lawsuit with the European Court of Justice and compel the Commission to fulfill its duty, Möllers adds: “The Commission must defend Europe’s digital sovereignty and must not let U.S. tech oligarchs dictate the rules.”
European digital associations have also warned, in an open letter, against weakening the legislation. They fear that involving the tech industry could suffocate the EU digital economy in its infancy. “The DMA is not a geopolitical maneuver and must not become one,” the signatories write.
EFJ President Maja Sever echoed the warning: “This disregards the European Parliament, which passed the DMA in 2022 to protect democracy and fair competition. European values must not be sacrificed for dirty deals to avoid car tariffs.”
Source: EFJ