On September 10, 2024, the European Commission (EC) offices in charge of the enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the European Data Protection Board (EDPB)—the European body composed of all EU data protection regulators that oversees the consistent application of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)—announced that they intend to provide guidance on the interplay between the DMA and GDPR.Continue Reading EU Agencies to Develop Guidance on the Interplay Between the DMA and GDPR
Deirdre Carroll
Into the Final Stretch: Six Gatekeepers Confirmed Under the EU’s Digital Markets Acts
On September 6, 2023, the European Commission (EC) returned from its summer break with full force and announced the designation of six tech companies as so-called “gatekeepers” under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and…
Continue Reading Into the Final Stretch: Six Gatekeepers Confirmed Under the EU’s Digital Markets ActsMissteps in Mixing EU Data Protection and Competition Law: A Call for Boundaries
On June 21, 2023, a request for a preliminary ruling on the scope of the term “undertaking” in Article 83(4) to (6) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was lodged with the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU). This concept is critical for companies facing enforcement action as it is used as a reference point to determine the cap for GDPR fines.Continue Reading Missteps in Mixing EU Data Protection and Competition Law: A Call for Boundaries
UK Regulators Signal Increased Focus on “Damaging” Website Design Practices
On August 9, 2023, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) released a joint position paper (the Paper) focused on “harmful” website design practices that may “trick” consumers into giving more access to their personal information. The Paper is targeted at web designers and developers, and it will be particularly relevant to consumer-facing organizations that target the UK market. It builds on joint work that the ICO and CMA have been engaged in since May 2021, when the regulators issued a joint statement promising a “joined up approach to regulation.” Announcing the Paper’s release, the ICO also revealed that it will be assessing cookie banners of the most frequently used websites in the UK, with a view to taking action against harmful designs.Continue Reading UK Regulators Signal Increased Focus on “Damaging” Website Design Practices
The Final Countdown: Designation of Digital Platforms Under the EU’s Digital Markets Act Formally Underway
Midnight on July 3, 2023, heralded the deadline for potential gatekeepers to notify the European Commission (EC) as to whether they meet the thresholds for gatekeepers set out in Article 3 of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).Continue Reading The Final Countdown: Designation of Digital Platforms Under the EU’s Digital Markets Act Formally Underway
EU’s Top Court Rules That Competition Authorities Can Consider Data Protection Breaches in Their Investigations
In a landmark judgment issued on July 4, 2023, the European top court, the Court of Justice (ECJ), ruled that competition authorities in the EU can consider a company’s compliance with the EU’s data protection rules when assessing whether it abused its dominant position. In addition, the ECJ ruled on important General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) clarifications on the legal bases for personalized advertising.
The judgment sets out how competition agencies should cooperate with data protection agencies when conducting competition investigations involving the consideration of whether a company’s data collection and processing practices comply with EU data protection rules.Continue Reading EU’s Top Court Rules That Competition Authorities Can Consider Data Protection Breaches in Their Investigations
Some Light Holiday Reading: Draft Procedural Guidance on the EU’s Digital Market Act Open for Consultation
On December 9, 2022, the European Commission (EC) published its draft Digital Markets Act (DMA) Implementing Regulation, which will be open for public comment until January 6, 2023. The package is designed to give guidance…
Continue Reading Some Light Holiday Reading: Draft Procedural Guidance on the EU’s Digital Market Act Open for Consultation