Our take on regulating platforms in the EU

We have always been strong proponents of a completed and functioning Digital Single Market. Unified and smartly designed rules would overcome regulatory ambiguity for digital economy in the EU and help companies, researchers, citizens and public authorities to make the most of new technologies.

Therefore, we joined ranks of 20 European associations in voicing our concern about the prepared “Fairness in platform to business relationships” proposal. Online platforms are already subject to regulation through a number of vertical initiatives, but the Commission is aiming at a horizontal regulation of platforms as such.

We believe that current narrative in this topic is against the principles and key objectives of the Digital Single Market. Creating enhanced monitoring and reporting obligations, requirements to negotiate each and every contract and service change with each business user or calls for transparency that are not in balance with their right to protect their know-how and business model.

We believe that the regulation should first and foremost respond to the market failure, not to create additional burdens for digital businesses and their users. Creating one prescriptive legislative measure for all platforms, regardless of their core business and models in which they operate risks hitting them disproportionately and in many cases unfairly. A ‘one size fits all’ approach simply does not apply in this case.

Read the full letter HERE.