Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have issued a decisive call for the European Commission to strengthen its enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). In a resolution adopted on Thursday, lawmakers emphasized that the landmark legislation remains the EU’s primary tool for ensuring market fairness and consumer choice, but its effectiveness depends entirely on swift, rigorous application by regulators.
A central theme of the resolution is the preservation of European sovereignty. MEPs warned that political pressure from non-EU countries must not be allowed to dilute the DMA’s standards. They urged the Commission to utilize every tool at its disposal—including investigations and non-compliance proceedings—to ensure that global tech gatekeepers do not bypass local laws. Furthermore, the Parliament expressed concern over the “modest” nature of recent fines levied against Meta and Apple, arguing that penalties must be proportionate and substantial enough to serve as a genuine deterrent against future violations.
The rapidly evolving technological landscape is also a point of focus. Lawmakers are pushing for closer scrutiny of generative AI search tools and cloud computing services, identifying these as new frontiers where gatekeepers might entrench their dominance. This follows recent investigations into Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure to determine if they should be designated as gatekeepers. MEPs noted that while the DMA has been active since 2024, smaller players still report discriminatory practices, such as Google’s self-preferencing and TikTok’s use of behavioral techniques to manipulate user consent.
The Parliament is now urging the Commission to prioritize real-world results over mere procedural compliance. This includes focusing on interoperability, data access, and the removal of “anti-steering” measures that prevent consumers from finding better deals outside of a gatekeeper’s ecosystem. As the Commission reviews the first two years of the DMA’s impact, the message from Parliament is clear: the EU must maintain its autonomy and ensure that the digital market remains open, innovative, and competitive for all participants.
