European Commission publishes first review of the DMA

IRIS 2026-5:1/9

Eric Munch

European Audiovisual Observatory

On 28 April 2026, the European Commission published its first review of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This first review is part of a legal requirement, mandated by the Regulation itself, to review the DMA every three years to ensure that it meets its objectives and remains effective in the evolving landscape of digital markets.

The review found that the DMA remains fit for purpose after two years of application. It found that the DMA notably provided Europeans with several valuable possibilities with regard to their digital use. It has provided them with the ability to transfer their data when switching between services and devices, to choose from different search engines and web browsers instead of default providers and to choose whether to allow gatekeepers to combine their personal data across services, preventing unauthorised profiling.

The review also found that, in addition to benefitting European users, the DMA helped businesses to compete, via enhanced interoperability of gatekeeper ecosystems but also thanks to the availability of alternative browsers, search engines, app stores and messaging apps. Cloud services and artificial intelligence will be key focus areas to reach the DMA’s objective of making digital markets fairer and more contestable, as highlighted by a recently opened market investigation into cloud computing services and specification proceedings in the field of AI. The European Commission will also continue to make use of regulatory dialogues to anticipate new compliance challenges and discuss with gatekeepers any potential needs to adjust compliance plans as AI solutions evolve.

Feedback gathered by the European Commission highlighted the need for rigorous supervision and the continued enforcement of the DMA, to allow both users and businesses to make use of the opportunities it offers, thereby making Europe’s digital markets fairer and more contestable, and fuelling choice and innovation in digital products and services.