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ARTICLE · 27 NOVEMBER 2020

Productwise Bitesize: European Digital Services Act

Cooley LLP
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Cooley's Productwise Bitesize brings you a short introduction to the EU's proposed Digital Services Act.

European UnionConsumer Protection
Edward Turtle
Edward Turtle
Julia Maskell
Julia Maskell
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Cooley's Productwise Bitesize brings you a short introduction to the EU's proposed Digital Services Act.

What is it called?

The proposed Digital Services Act (DSA) is a package of EU legislation aimed at modernising the EU's framework for digital services, including the e-Commerce Directive. The DSA will cover rules for online products and services, and competition law issues in respect of the existing market for online platforms.

The Commission plans to adopt a legislative proposal for these measures in early December 2020.

What is being proposed?

The DSA is a response to the rise of online platforms, which have significantly changed the EU market for online products and services. The European Commission acknowledges the benefits of this development for consumers and the internal market, but also identifies that it has brought new risks. In particular, the Commission is concerned that online platforms facilitate the sale of illegal goods and content online.

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