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EU Looks To Solidify Rules To Rein In Big Tech This Spring

By  |  February 15, 2022

Landmark EU rules aimed at curbing the power of US tech giants could be agreed between lawmakers and EU countries as soon as April, a key lawmaker leading the talks said on Tuesday.

Known as the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the rules proposed by EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager just over a year ago set out a list of dos and don’ts for online gatekeepers, companies that control data and access to their platforms, reinforced by fines of up to 10% of global turnover.

Related: The Digital Markets Act (DMA): A Procompetitive Recalibration of Data Relations?

The DMA in effect targets Apple, Alphabet unit Google, Facebook parent Meta, Amazon and Microsoft It needs approval from EU lawmakers and EU countries before it can become law.

Lawmaker Andreas Schwab, who has already had two meetings with EU countries on the topic and has scheduled a third on March 1, said he is optimistic of clinching a deal in what would be a record time for a key piece of legislation.

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