Athens, 12 October 2021

COSAC Chairpersons discussion on digital markets with European Commission Executive Vice-President

 

An informal meeting was held online between the COSAC Chairpersons and the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Margrethe Vestager on the European Commission’s proposals for a Digital Markets Act and a Digital Services Act. The Hellenic Parliament was represented by Yannis Loverdos, member of the Special Standing Committee on European Affairs of the Parliament.

Mrs Vestager said, inter alia, that both proposals aim to ensure that all European citizens have access to a wide selection of safe products and services online, and also that all businesses active in the EU will be able to compete free and fairly online, just as they do in the physical world. She also stressed that while the Digital Services Act is horizontal and applies to all, the Digital Markets Act introduces a new set of obligations and prohibitions on large digital platforms, which tend to distort competition, since they use their size to act as regulators of internet access.

Mr Yannis Loverdos argued that the two Acts are moving in the right direction, as they seek to create a safer digital space, where the fundamental rights of the citizens will be protected. He also referred to the exemption of small and very small enterprises from the obligations provided for in the two Acts, as this will spare them an unbearable financial burden. Furthermore, he stressed that the European Commission will need to work closely with national authorities to ensure the two Acts are implemented in the best possible way.

Mrs Vestager agreed with Mr Loverdos both on the importance of small and microenterprises for the EU economy and the need for the good cooperation between the European Commission and the national authorities to ensure the optimal implementation of the Acts.

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