Digital Markets Act: MEPs call for stricter enforcement in the face of external pressure

In a resolution adopted by a show of hands on Thursday, Parliament urges the Commission to implement the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) swiftly and consistently and to make full use of its supervisory powers. MEPs highlight the growing strategic importance of cloud computing services and the increased adoption of AI-based search tools (such as Google’s AI analysis tool), emphasising the need for greater oversight under the DMA.

The EU’s sovereignty must not be compromised.

MEPs warn against political pressure from third countries seeking to weaken the DMA and stress that such interference must not compromise the EU’s sovereignty and autonomy to enforce its own rules. The Commission must make full use of the DMA’s enforcement tools (including regulatory dialogue, investigations, infringement proceedings and fines) to prevent intermediaries, regardless of their place of establishment, from circumventing the law.

MEPs state that ongoing infringement proceedings must be concluded without undue delay. They also regret the modest fines imposed on Meta and Apple and stress that it is essential to impose effective and proportionate fines to ensure deterrence.

Action by the guardian

Given that market gatekeepers must comply with the DMA from 2024, smaller players continue to face discriminatory practices and restrictions imposed by these gatekeepers, which slows down innovation and reduces consumer choice. Concerns persist regarding Google’s persistent self-preferencing practices, TikTok’s consent screens that use behavioural techniques to obtain consent, Microsoft’s changing of default settings and easy access to competing services, and Booking.com’s continued use of prohibited parity clauses. MEPs are also concerned about restricted access to audiovisual media services on smart TVs and are calling on the Commission to monitor this market segment to prevent unfair practices, such as those seen with Android on smartphones, from being replicated.

Real-world results

Parliament urges the Commission to prioritise compliance with obligations regarding interoperability, access to data, non-manipulation and non-self-preferencing, taking into account market developments. The text states that compliance with the DMA must be assessed on the basis of practical and real-world outcomes in terms of market openness, competition and user choice, and that its effectiveness depends on end-users having autonomy.

Background

In November 2025, the Commissionlaunched investigationsinto Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure to determine whether they should be designated as gatekeepers for their cloud computing services. In April 2025, it issued its firstinfringement decisionsand fines against Meta for its ‘pay or consent’ advertising model and against Apple for failing to meet its obligations regarding non-manipulation of advertising. On 28 April 2026, the Commission published the firstreviewof the DMA, assessing its impact and identifying areas of future interest, such as cloud services and AI.

More information: European Parliament.