Who is covered by the Digital Markets Act (DMA)?

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) applies to providers of “core platform services” that meet certain criteria including at least 45 million monthly active users and more than 10,000 yearly active EU business users in the last financial year. These providers are referred to as “gatekeepers” and include large online platforms that have a significant impact on the EU’s economy. 

In September 2023, the EU identified a total of 22 services spread across six companies—Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta, and Microsoft—as  the “gatekeepers.” Gatekeepers identified under the DMA are required to comply with the regulation by March 6, 2024.

The DMA aims to regulate these platforms and prevent them from misusing their considerable market presence. It sets out obligations and restrictions for gatekeepers to ensure fair competition, openness, and transparency in the market.