Digital markets: EU opens two proceedings to help Google comply with the DMA

Brussels – To avoid disruption and find a constructive, agreed solution to the problems arising from EU regulations, the European Commission has launched two sets of proceedings to help Google comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). According to Brussels, these are instruments of regulatory dialogue between the EU executive and businesses. In this specific case, the search engine will be assisted through a clear specification of the obligations arising from EU regulations.

There are two areas of action that require corrective measures. The first is providing third-party developers with free, effective interoperability with hardware and software components controlled by Google’s Android operating system. The second is granting third-party online search engine providers fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory access to anonymised data. The Commission intends to clarify matters to help the US company understand how to operate in the single market without breaking the rules, as explained by the Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Fair and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera: “With today’s proceedings, we want to help Google by explaining in more detail how it should comply with its interoperability and online search data sharing obligations under the Digital Markets Act.” 

The Commission will conclude the proceedings within six months of their opening. Within the next three months, the Commission will communicate its preliminary findings to Google, setting out the draft measures it intends to impose on the web operator to ensure effective compliance with the Digital Markets Act.

 Google has already been designated a ‘very large platform’ under the Digital Services Act (DSA), and must comply with its obligations. The Executive Vice President for Technology Sovereignty, Henna Virkkunen, wants to make it clear that the Commission’s actions are not intended to be punitive or represent a crackdown on US web giants. On the contrary, she emphasises, “Our goal is to keep the AI market open, unlock competition on the merits and promote innovation, to the benefit of consumers and businesses.”