The Digital Services Act

What is the DSA in a nutshell?

The Digital Services Act (DSA) is a proposal for a legislation that aims to update rules for online intermediaries and platforms services. Europe’s digital market has expanded in size and complexity with the rapid pace of technological change, so the DSA aims to update old rules to ensure a safe and accountable online environment that’s fit for the digital future.

The proposed new rules seek to help ensure the products consumers buy and the services they use are provided in accordance with European laws and standards and do not harm citizens, businesses, rightsholders and society at large.

The European Commission lists the priorities of its proposals as:

  • Better protect consumers and their fundamental rights online
  • Establish a powerful transparency and a clear accountability framework for online platforms
  • Foster innovation, growth and competitiveness within the single market

Download GESAC’s position on the Commission’s DSA proposal (March 2021)

Download GESAC’s responses to the DSA consultation (September 2020)

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Where do we stand at the moment?

The Commission has tabled a draft proposal of the legislation, to which interested parties and sectoral organisations like GESAC were invited to respond by end of March 2021.

You can find GESAC’s views on the Commission’s proposal here.

The proposal for a Regulation on the Digital Services Act will now be scrutinised, commented on, amended and agreed by the European Parliament and the Member States in order to be adopted as an EU law.

What are the key issues for GESAC?