DMA general questions (scope, future proofing, link with other EU policies, etc.)
The DMA defines a clear set of rules with which gatekeepers must comply. On our website, you can find the companies designated as Gatekeepers and their Compliance reports where each Gatekeeper sets out how they are complying with the DMA obligations.
The Commission and the DMA Team are fully committed to the establishment of fair and contestable digital markets in the EU. With that aim, we engage in frequent dialogue with gatekeepers and affected stakeholders to ensure effective compliance with the obligations under the DMA, particularly where a practice could impede innovation or limit choice for business users and end users.
The Commission continuously and carefully assesses gatekeepers’ compliance with the DMA via regulatory dialogue, as well as any attempt of circumvention. Where necessary, we are ready to take decisive enforcement action making use of the full toolbox available under the DMA. We are confident that the DMA will bring benefits to European consumers, app developers and businesses alike.
The DMA applies only to companies (Gatekeepers) that have been designated for a certain platform (Core Platform Service) due to its significant importance for business users (e.g. app developers) to reach end users in the EU. On our website, you can find an overview of the companies designated as Gatekeepers and for which services.
The framework of the DMA is designed to target only companies that have a significant impact on the EU internal market, that operate as an important gateway for business users to reach end users and that have – or will have in the near future – an entrenched and durable position for their core platform services.
The DMA applies to any undertaking meeting the turnover and user number thresholds, regardless of origin. All companies, irrespective of their place of establishment, that meet the conditions set out in the regulation need to notify their core platform services.
The DMA does not target or discriminate against US companies. As a matter of fact, two non-American companies have been designated as gatekeepers: Booking.com and ByteDance. By the same token, the Commission has not designated US (and other) companies as gatekeepers for certain services where these companies submitted sufficiently substantiated evidence that they do not, in fact, have a gatekeeper position, such as Microsoft with respect to Bing, Apple with respect to iMessage or Samsung with respect to its Internet Browser.
Many US companies support DMA enforcement because they know that they would also be among the major beneficiaries. For instance, Mozilla recently reported that its Firefox browser managed to increase its usage rate on iOS by about 100% in France and Germany following the introduction of the DMA’s iOS browser choice screen.
The main criterion for a company to be designated as a gatekeeper under the DMA is whether that company provides its core platform services to a large number of EU citizens and businesses – and not the nationality of this company. The goal is fairness, not protectionism.
The DMA is not about cherry picking companies of a specific geographical location but about ensuring a level playing field. If EU firms grow to gatekeeper status, they will be subject to the same rules.
The EU market is large and resilient. While retaliation is possible, the DMA’s benefits – fair competition, contestability in digital markets, and sovereignty – outweigh potential risks.
The EU has faced similar opposition to its laws before (e.g. concerns over GDPR from other jurisdictions) but has maintained its regulatory stance without severe economic consequences and in fact the opposite – many jurisdictions across the world have copied the GDPR and many have started implementing or are contemplating the introduction of similar rules as the DMA.
The Commission is committed to regular reviews of the DMA, as also envisaged under Article 53 of the DMA, with the first review due by 3 May 2026, and then a review every three years thereafter. In preparations for its first review, the Commission has conducted a public consultation and a call for evidence. Any possible changes of the DMA will be carefully assessed and made only after appropriate consultation.
We encourage you to follow the Commission DMA website to see the latest news on the Commission work on the DMA Review as well as on the DMA and AI sector.
Our competition rules and the DMA are not linked to trade policy. Our investigations focus on a possible illegal behaviour and its harm on competition and consumers in the EU. The harm needs to be related to the behaviour investigated, not to tariffs and/or retaliatory measures.
We firmly believe that the implementation and enforcement of the DMA is crucial for innovation and the digital competitiveness of the EU. The DMA is a landmark legislation whose effective implementation and enforcement is key to a fair and open digital ecosystem, to foster innovation and to create space for businesses of all sizes and backgrounds to thrive.
Throughout the trade and tariff negotiations with the United States, as well as after, the EU made it clear that changing our digital legislation or pausing its enforcement is a red line. President von der Leyen stressed this point in her State of the Union speech in September 2025, when she said: “Whether on environmental or digital regulation. We set our own standards. We set our own regulations. Europe will always decide for itself.”
The need to strengthen Europe’s efforts in shaping a competitive, resilient and inclusive digital future, and to ensure Europe’s leadership in strategic technologies has been an area of focus for the Commission since the start of its current mandate.
With the European Democracy Shield, as set out in the communication of November 2025, the Commission aims to step up its support for innovative media projects providing new formats and content to audiences across the Union and beyond. It will also explore future pathways for the EU’s tech environment. The initial focus of this work is on future social networking and social media platforms, with a view to supporting EU digital sovereignty. The work also looks to support the development of pan-European platforms making real-time news, and information from professional media outlets, available to wider audiences across the EU in multiple languages.
Other relevant initiatives include the EU’s Data Union Strategy, which addresses the need for high-quality data in Europe and aims to tap the potential of data in the EU, completing the Single Market for data, and the creation of an EU Cloud and AI Development Act and a single EU-wide cloud policy, to establish a robust regulatory framework for high-performance computing resources and digital infrastructure, promoting innovation, interoperability, and a competitive internal market. Work also continues on implementing and enforcing both the Digital Services Act, which ensures a safe, predictable and trusted online environment that facilitates innovation and protects the fundamental rights of citizens and consumers, and the Digital Markets Act, which creates a level playing field in digital markets, promoting competition and innovation.
These initiatives will ensure Europe's technological sovereignty and long-term economic resilience, and the EU has made it clear that changing our digital legislation or pausing its enforcement is a red line. President von der Leyen stressed this point in her State of the Union speech in September 2025, when she said: “Whether on environmental or digital regulation. We set our own standards. We set our own regulations. Europe will always decide for itself.”
Fines: of up to 10% of the company’s total worldwide annual turnover, or up to 20% in the event of repeated infringements
Periodic penalty payments: of up to 5% of the average daily turnover
Remedies: In case of systematic infringements of the DMA obligations by gatekeepers, additional remedies may be imposed on the gatekeepers after a market investigation. Such remedies will need to be proportionate to the offence committed. If necessary and as a last resort option, non-financial remedies can be imposed. These can include behavioural and structural remedies, e.g. the divestiture of (parts of) a business.
Consumers and businesses rights under the DMA
Under the DMA, Gatekeepers have a special responsibility regarding the provision of certain core services to end-users. These services include the platforms consumers use daily to buy and sell products or services, the social media networks and the internet browsers and search engines they use to look for restaurants, services, products and locations. Under the DMA these are your rights as a consumer:
- CHOICE OF DIGITAL SERVICES: You can now install preferred apps directly from the web or alternative app stores on your smartphone. Choice screens make it easier for you to choose the browser and search engine that is best for you.
- DATA OWNERSHIP: You gain more control over your personal data. You have the power to decide whether companies can use your data across different services and whether you allow tracking and profiling for advertising purposes.
- SEAMLESS DATA PORTABILITY: You have the right to transfer your data to the platform of your choice. You now enjoy true digital mobility and have better control over your digital footprint.
- STREAMLINED ACCESS: You no longer have to log in with one platform to access another.
- UNBIASED SEARCH RESULTS: Your search results reflect relevance, not bias. You will discover the most pertinent products and services, unbiased from unwanted promotions.
If you feel like your rights are not being respected, you can let the Commission or your National Competition Authority know about the platform's unfair actions. You can also take legal action in front of a national court in the EU. To contact the DMA Team as a private EU citizen, please submit your request here. Feedback from interested citizens is a very valuable source of information for the European Commission, which we take seriously.
The DMA opens gates for your business that have remained closed so far. As a business operating in the EU’s digital landscape, you can benefit from this groundbreaking legislation. The DMA creates a range of new opportunities and rights for businesses in the EU. Here are your key DMA rights as a business:
- APP DISTRIBUTION: The DMA unlocks closed ecosystem. You have the right to run your own app store, distribute your apps through alternatives app stores, and sideload your apps on all designated OS (iOS, Android mobile and Windows PC). You can communicate directly and freely with your customers. As an app developer you have more opportunities for your apps to become blockbusters.
- ENSURING FAIR PLAY: The DMA addresses conflicts of interest. Data generated by your business on designated Big Tech platforms will not be used by them to outcompete you.
- EFFECTIVE ACCESS TO DATA: The DMA gives you back your data so that you can gain valuable insights from it. With access to data generated by your services or user interactions on gatekeeper platforms, including performance metrics and user behaviour, you are equipped to make informed decisions. Users can also authorise you to port their data. You can access this data in real-time and free of charge.
- INTEROPERABILITY: The DMA unlocks OS features. You can develop and offer innovative services to users of designated OS (iOS, Android mobile and Windows PC). You will no longer be unfairly blocked. Gatekeepers must allow interoperability free of charge.
- FAIR RANKING: The DMA levels the playing field. Big Tech’s designated platforms can no longer unfairly promote their own products or services above yours in search results or ads.
- FAIR SALES TERMS: The DMA lets you run your business more freely. Take charge of your pricing strategy on designated gatekeepers’ platforms! Bid farewell to restrictive conditions dictating your pricing practices elsewhere.
If you feel like your rights are not being respected, you can let the Commission or your National Competition Authority know about the platform's unfair actions. You can also take legal action in front of a national court in the EU. To contact the DMA Team as a business, please submit your request here. We will treat your submission as market information, and we will take it into account in our ongoing monitoring activity.
The DMA and technology developments (e.g. cloud, AI)
To the extent that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is embedded in already designated core platform services, the existing DMA obligations already apply to it. The DMA team is examining how AI affects core platform services and gatekeeper obligations. Among others, the Commission has conducted the public consultation on how the DMA can support fair and contestable digital markets, including the Artificial Intelligence sector.
We encourage you to follow the Commission DMA website to see the latest news on the Commission work on the DMA and AI sector.
Cloud services have become the backbone of modern industries and societies, providing ubiquitous, flexible, on demand access to a pool of configurable computing resources. Cloud services are also housing all major AI agents and services, which are revolutionising the way users look for information and access services on their devices.
It is therefore very important to ensure that those markets remain fair and contestable. This is relevant for both the infrastructure for AI services and the downstream market for AI-based applications, such as AI agents and services. It is important that developers have fair access to cloud computing services to develop AI-based applications as well as that users can freely choose AI agents and services.
When it comes to the cloud, the Commission has launched three market investigations into Cloud Computing Services under the DMA. Two of these market investigations aim to assess whether Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure should be qualitatively designated as gatekeepers for cloud computing services. The third market investigation will assess if the DMA, in its current form, can effectively tackle problematic practices in the cloud computing sector, or whether the DMA should be amended to better tackle such practices.
When it comes to AI agents and services, the Commission has opened two sets of proceedings.
First, we opened proceedings to specify how Google should ensure third-party AI agents have an equal access to the Android operating system as Google’s AI agent Gemini. The goal is to ensure that third-party AI providers have an equal opportunity to innovate and compete in the rapidly evolving AI landscape on smart mobile devices.
Second, the DMA also obliges Google to share anonymised search data on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (‘FRAND’) terms. Our proceedings will ensure that AI chatbots are among the eligible beneficiaries of this obligation. AI chatbots rely on online search engines and develop search technologies. Our specification proceedings can reinforce their capability to optimise their services and contest Google’s position.
Given the interdependence of AI with cloud services, the Commission’s investigations into cloud services are likely to have also an impact on AI services.
We encourage you to follow the Commission DMA website to see the latest news on the Commission work on the DMA and AI sector.
Questions about specific DMA obligations
The DMA gives power back to developers by reducing their reliance on Apple’s and Google’s app stores. Developers can now directly inform users about better offers outside of app stores. They can also distribute their apps via alternative app stores or directly from the web. Consumers benefit too, as they can now be informed within the apps about better and cheaper offers and be redirected to them.
Benefits for businesses:
- For the first time, developers can offer alternative app stores on iPhones and iPads to contest Apple’s App Store. App Store is no longer the single app distribution channel within Apple’s ecosystem.
- Developers can opt out from app stores services they do not need for distributing their apps via Apple’s and Google’s app stores.
- As they move away from the gatekeepers’ services, developers pay lower fees.
- Developers can also distribute their apps, including app stores, from their own websites (“web distribution”).
- Thanks to the DMA, developers are now free to steer their users to alternative ways to purchase digital content, both inside and outside the app.
- Developers can now distribute retro game emulators on iPhones and iPads.
Benefits for consumers:
- Consumers have more choice to download apps, including from websites and alternative app stores.
- Prices are lower as users purchase cheaper digital content outside Apple’s and Google’s app stores.
- Consumers can make informed choices, as they now know about different offers outside Apple’s and Google’s app stores.
- Consumers can enjoy a better and smother experience when using alternative services.
On 6 September 2023, the Commission designated Apple and Alphabet as Gatekeepers for their respective app stores: Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store.
The DMA rules include, among others, the obligation for gatekeepers like Apple and Google to effectively allow the distribution of apps on their devices through third party app stores or the web (Article 6(4) DMA). They also include provisions related to app stores, such as the obligation for gatekeepers to allow app developers to steer users and communicate with them about alternative channels for purchasing digital content outside the app (Article 5(4) DMA). Digital content purchased outside of the app should then be accessible for consumption in the app (Article 5(5) DMA). Moreover, gatekeepers like Apple and Google are not allowed to impose the use of their in-app purchase systems on developers (Article 5(7) DMA) and should apply fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory general conditions of access for business users to their app stores (Article 6(12) DMA).
On the DMA website, you can find the Compliance reports where each Gatekeeper sets out how they are complying with the DMA obligations.
The Commission is carefully assessing all gatekeepers’ compliance, as well as any attempt of circumvention with the DMA, and will take appropriate enforcement action where necessary. Detailed feedback from businesses will be valuable input for this assessment. To contact the DMA Team as a business, please submit your request here. We will treat your submission as market information, and we will take it into account in our ongoing monitoring activity.
Interoperability means deeper and more seamless integration of apps and devices with gatekeepers’ ecosystems. Interoperability is crucial for third parties to develop innovative products and services on gatekeeper platforms. All features controlled by the operating system must be interoperable.
The interoperability requirement of the DMA (specifically, Article 6(7)) requires gatekeepers to allow third parties access to the same OS hardware and software features that are available to services or hardware provided by the gatekeeper. This is to make sure that third parties can effectively compete on equal terms with services provided by the Gatekeeper, bringing innovative services to European consumers.
Article 6(7) does not prohibit Gatekeepers from introducing their products and services in the EU. The decision whether to roll out or not certain products and services is the Gatekeepers’ only. The DMA simply requires that Gatekeepers find a way to roll out any feature they wish to bring to their users whilst at the same time complying with the DMA.
The objective of Article 6(7) DMA is that devices, apps and products from third parties can be used on an iPhone as seamlessly as Apple’s own products. The specification decisions adopted today support Apple in achieving this objective, by detailing how to securely allow third parties to use certain features that are so far only available to Apple devices. For example, the specification decision on connected devices aims to enable, amongst others, the following improvements:
- iPhone users will have enhanced possibilities to receive push notifications including pictures on their non-Apple smartwatch and reply to these notifications.
- iPhone users will also be able to pair their non-Apple connected devices such as headphones and smartwatches more seamlessly and easily with the iPhone.
- Non-Apple devices such as virtual reality headsets will benefit from better and faster data connections with the iPhone.
- Developers will be able to integrate alternative solutions to Apple’s AirDrop and AirPlay services on the iPhone. As a result, iPhone users will be able to choose from different and innovative services to share files with other users and cast media content from their iPhones to TVs.
Thanks to these new possibilities, in the future new and innovative devices may be developed for the iPhone users, something which was until now constrained by the lack of full interoperability.
Download here the leaflet on Better Interoperability with iOS & iPadOS
For more information about specification proceedings under the DMA and particularly Apple’s 6(7) specification proceeding, you can consult our Developer Portal or the section on Apple below.
The EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) introduces data portability rights that give businesses and users fair and real-time access to valuable data from large online platforms, the “gatekeepers”. These rights are designed to open up digital markets, boost innovation, and enhance user control.
Article 6(9) relates to the transfer of user data to authorised third-party businesses.
What it means – Gatekeepers must provide end users and third parties they authorise with:
- Portability of data that users have provided or generated while using their platform
- Free tools to make portability easy
- Continuous and real-time access to that data
In practice – with the user’s permission, third-party businesses can now build services that:
- Let users transfer their data directly and automatically from a gatekeeper’s platform to the third-party app
- Offer personalised experiences or complementary services based on users’ activity data
- Enable seamless switching between platforms without losing user history or content
As an example, if you are an authorised third-party business:
- What: a user can share their Google Search history with you.
- How: Google’s new Data Portability API allows you to obtain user authorisation and retrieve the Search data
- When: You can access the data at any moment via the Data Portability API
- How long: The user decides the duration, up to 180 days per authorisation
- Cost: Free of charge
Article 6(10) relates to data access for business users.
What it means – Gatekeepers must provide business users and any third party authorised by them with free, high-quality, and real-time access to:
- Data generated by the business user
- Anonymised data generated by end users
- Personal data generated by end users (with their consent)
The data must relate directly to the business user’s products and services.
In practice, businesses can now:
- Build analytics, marketing, and accounting tools based on data about how users interact with their products on gatekeeper platforms
- Create value-added B2B services that help businesses understand and serve their customers better
- Request additional data from the categories above, if it is not currently available
As an example:
- What: App developers can now obtain the same app analytics data as Apple on an equal basis as well as over 100 additional reports for user engagement on iOS and App Store
- How: Access via App Store Connect API, App Store Server API, Analytics Reports API, App Data Transfer API
- When: You can access the data at any moment via the API
- Cost: Free of charge
While the DMA provides that consumers should be given the choice in respect to how they want their personal data to be used to be reached by businesses, it does not ban personalized advertising on platforms like Meta’s social networks.
The DMA prohibits undertakings that have been designated as gatekeepers (for example Meta) to combine and/or cross-use personal data between a relevant core platform service (e.g. Facebook, Instagram) in and with personal data from any further service (e.g. Meta Ads) unless the end users have been presented with a specific choice on whether they want to allow this combination and/or cross-use, for which they will need to give valid consent, or opt for a less personalized but equivalent alternative. For those users who do not accept such use of their data, the Gatekeeper should offer a less personalized but equivalent alternative of the service which uses less of their data for advertising.
The DMA intends to ensure that gatekeepers do not benefit from unfair advantages over their competitors through the accumulation of data across their services and that they do not undermine the contestability of core platform services by combining and/or cross-using personal data of end users who do not consent to such combination and/or cross-use. This contestability ultimately provides opportunities for other businesses in Europe and beyond and benefits companies by encouraging innovation and competitive services and prices.
In any case, the DMA does not prevent end users who are willing to be served with fully personalized ads to opt for such option, it aims to provide options to those users who do not wish for their personal data to be used in this way.
Questions about specific Gatekeepers:
Alphabet
Alphabet is currently designated under the DMA for the following Core Platform Services (CPSs): Google Play, Google Maps, Google Shopping, Google Search, YouTube, Android Mobile, Alphabet’s online advertising service and Google Chrome. Please consult our Gatekeepers Portal for more information about the designation process or the Compliance reports to check how each Gatekeeper is complying with the DMA obligations.
We are aware of Alphabet’s plan to introduce an Android developer verification programme. According to Google’s announcement, starting in September 2026 in certain geographies (excluding the EU based on public information), Android will require that all apps are registered by verified developers in order to be installed on certified Android devices.
The DMA obliges gatekeepers like Google to allow and technically enable the effective distribution of apps on their operating system through third party app stores or the web. At the same time, the DMA also permits Google to introduce strictly necessary and proportionate measures to ensure that third-party software apps or app stores do not endanger the integrity of the hardware or operating system or to enable end users to effectively protect security.
While we cannot comment on ongoing dialogue with gatekeepers, we are considering this plan and Google’s justifications for the verification process.
On November 2025, the European Commission has formally launched proceedings to assess whether Google applies fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (‘FRAND’) conditions of access to publishers' websites on Google Search, which is an obligation under the DMA.
The Commission's monitoring work has shown indications that Google, based on its ‘site reputation abuse policy', is demoting news media and other publishers' websites and content in Google search results when those websites include content from commercial partners. According to Google, this policy aims to tackle practices that are allegedly meant to manipulate ranking in search results.
The Commission's investigation focuses specifically on Google's ‘site reputation abuse policy', and how that policy applies to publishers. This policy appears to directly impact a common and legitimate way for publishers to monetise their websites and content.
Therefore, the Commission is investigating whether Alphabet's demotions of publishers' websites and content in Google Search may impact publishers' freedom to conduct legitimate business, innovate, and cooperate with third-party content providers.
Should the Commission find evidence of non-compliance, the Commission will inform Alphabet of its preliminary findings and explain the measures that it considers taking or that Alphabet should take to effectively address the Commission's concerns. The Commission will aim to conclude its investigation within 12 months from the opening of the proceedings.
In January 2026, the European Commission has started two sets of specification proceedings to assist Google in complying with its obligations under the DMA. The specification proceedings formalise the Commission's regulatory dialogue with Google on certain areas of its compliance with two DMA obligations.
The first set of proceedings concerns Google's obligation under Article 6(7) of the DMA to provide third-party developers with free and effective interoperability with hardware and software features controlled by Google's Android operating system. In particular, the proceedings focus on features used by Google's own Artificial Intelligence (‘AI') services, such as Gemini. The Commission intends to specify how Google should grant third-party AI service providers equally effective access to the same features as those available to Google's own services. The aim is to ensure that third-party providers have an equal opportunity to innovate and compete in the rapidly evolving AI landscape on smart mobile devices.
The second set of proceedings concerns Google's obligation under Article 6(11) of the DMA to grant third-party providers of online search engines access to anonymised ranking, query, click and view data held by Google Search on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (‘FRAND') terms. These proceedings focus on the scope of data, the anonymisation method, the conditions of access, and the eligibility of AI chatbot providers to access the data. Effective compliance and access to a useful dataset will allow third-party providers of online search engines to optimise their services and offer users genuine alternatives to Google Search.
The Commission will conclude the proceedings within six months of their opening. Within the first three months the Commission will communicate its preliminary findings to Google setting out the draft measures it intends to impose on Google to effectively comply with the DMA. Non-confidential summaries of preliminary findings and the envisaged measures will be published to enable third parties to provide comments.
Google altered some features of its search results page in March 2024. Google also removed the link between Google Maps and visual search results on Google Search.
Google took these steps as an effort to comply with Article 6(5) of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). According to this provision, Google Search must not rank its own services more favourably than similar services of third parties. The purpose of this provision is to ensure equal opportunities for services that compete with large platforms’ own offering and to ensure more choice for consumers.
In the Google Search Central Blog, Google publicly announces major changes to its search engine results. On 15 February 2024, Google announced the introduction of its new search features and explained how direct suppliers and aggregators could use these features. On 5 March 2024, Google also announced a core update to its search algorithm and provided a feedback form for website operators to report how they are affected by the changes.
In relation to Google Maps, users maintain several opportunities to find locations and map services on Google Search. Users can, for example, access Google Maps’ navigational functionalities by clicking “Directions” below the visual results on Google Search or find other map services on the results page. In addition, users interested in Google Maps’ full service can go directly to the Google Maps website without passing by Google Search.
Google is responsible for ensuring compliance with the DMA. The Commission has not endorsed, let alone imposed, the measures that Google implemented in March 2024. Those measures were proposed by Google and are currently under assessment by the Commission.
On 6 September 2023, the Commission designated Apple and Alphabet as Gatekeepers for their respective app stores: Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store.
The DMA rules include, among others, the obligation for gatekeepers like Apple and Google to effectively allow the distribution of apps on their devices through third party app stores or the web (Article 6(4) DMA). They also include provisions related to app stores, such as the obligation for gatekeepers to allow app developers to steer users and communicate with them about alternative channels for purchasing digital content outside the app (Article 5(4) DMA). Digital content purchased outside of the app should then be accessible for consumption in the app (Article 5(5) DMA). Moreover, gatekeepers like Apple and Google are not allowed to impose the use of their in-app purchase systems on developers (Article 5(7) DMA) and should apply fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory general conditions of access for business users to their app stores (Article 6(12) DMA).
On the DMA website, you can find the Compliance reports where each Gatekeeper sets out how they are complying with the DMA obligations.
Apple
Apple is currently designated under the DMA for the following Core Platform Services (CPSs): App Store, iOS, Safari and iPadOS. Please consult our Gatekeeper Portal for more information about the designation process or the Compliance reports to check how each Gatekeeper is complying with the DMA obligations.
To support businesses active in Europe, on 19 September 2024, the Commission opened two specification proceedings to clarify how Apple must make iOS and iPadOS more interoperable with non-Apple devices. One proceeding deals with the interoperability of OS with third party connected devices (DMA.100203) and the other one with the process Apple put in place to handle the interoperability requests (DMA.100204).
Both specification decisions include detailed measures on how to provide interoperability. If you are a developer and want to know more about this topic, please consult our Developer Portal.
As a result of these proceedings, the Commission requires Apple to adapt iOS and make third-party connected devices – such as smartwatches, headphones or TVs of all brands – work better with iPhones and to ensure that their users benefit from better access to crucial iOS features. The Commission also requires Apple to enhance the process for developers to request new interoperability via better technical documentation, timely communication, dispute resolution, predictable timeline and public tracking and reporting.
The Commission and Apple are continuously engaging in regulatory dialogue to implement the interoperability obligation in the best way for business users and end users. The safety of iOS users is a primary factor in these decisions. These decisions entail consulting Apple, third-party app developers (including via public consultations), as well as technical security experts both inside and outside the Commission.
You can read more about this topic in the Commission’s published decisions: the first set of measures (DMA.100203) concerns 9 iOS connectivity features, predominantly used for and used by connected devices. The second set of measures (DMA.100204) aims to increase the transparency and effectiveness of the process that developers need to follow to obtain interoperability with iOS and iPadOS.
During these proceedings, the Commission held numerous technical meetings and discussions with Apple and interested developers. This constructive dialogue allowed the Commission to identify the measures that developers need to offer innovative products and services while ensuring that end users maintain their known iPhone user experience and enjoy improved interoperability.
The objective of Article 6(7) DMA is that devices, apps and products from third parties can be used on an iPhone as seamlessly as Apple’s own products. The specification decisions adopted today support Apple in achieving this objective, by detailing how to securely allow third parties to use certain features that are so far only available to Apple devices. For example, the specification decision on connected devices aims to enable, amongst others, the following improvements:
- iPhone users will have enhanced possibilities to receive push notifications including pictures on their non-Apple smartwatch and reply to these notifications.
- iPhone users will also be able to pair their non-Apple connected devices such as headphones and smartwatches more seamlessly and easily with the iPhone.
- Non-Apple devices such as virtual reality headsets will benefit from better and faster data connections with the iPhone.
- Developers will be able to integrate alternative solutions to Apple’s AirDrop and AirPlay services on the iPhone. As a result, iPhone users will be able to choose from different and innovative services to share files with other users and cast media content from their iPhones to TVs.
Thanks to these new possibilities, in the future new and innovative devices may be developed for the iPhone users, something which was until now constrained by the lack of full interoperability.
Download here the leaflet on Better Interoperability with iOS & iPadOS
In a ‘specification decision’, the Commission does not take a position on whether the gatekeeper complies with its obligations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Therefore, there are no fines attached to such a decision.
By contrast, a non-compliance decision concludes, following an investigation, that a gatekeeper has been non-compliant with a DMA obligation. The non-compliance decision orders the gatekeepers to cease and desist the infringement. In a non-compliance decision, the Commission may impose fines.
Specification decisions are taken following specification proceedings. These are tools in which the Commission and a designated gatekeeper engage in a formalised regulatory dialogue in order for the Commission to identify concrete measures the gatekeeper should take to effectively comply with a certain obligation (included in Article 6 or 7 of DMA). Third parties are formally involved in this process through a public consultation on the draft measures.
The legal basis for a specification procedure is Article 8(2) of the DMA. In the case of specification proceedings, the Commission has six months to conclude the specification proceedings and adopt its final decision with binding measures.
Both types of proceedings are subject to the full respect of gatekeepers’ procedural rights.
The DMA regulates the actions of so-called gatekeepers. Gatekeepers are large online platforms that have been designated as such because they provide services – so called core platform services – to many European users. These gatekeepers exercise market power which can undermine the contestability of European digital markets through in particular very strong network effects, large economies of scale, the ability to connect business users with many end users, the lock-in of end users and the ensuing dependence of business users, and degree of vertical integration. The DMA lays down rules to ensure contestability and fairness for business users and end users.
This includes an obligation on gatekeepers of operating systems to provide, free of charge, effective interoperability with the same hardware and software features available to services provided by the gatekeeper itself. This obligation is intended to increase the incentives to innovate and improve products and services for the business users and their customers as well as the gatekeeper itself, and thus positively affect the innovation potential of the wider online platform economy in the EU. This obligation also encourages the gatekeepers to innovate its platform and its own products and services.
The gatekeepers may take strictly necessary and proportionate measures to ensure that the interoperability solutions do not compromise the integrity of the operating system, hardware or software features provided by the gatekeeper, provided such measures are duly justified.
The specified measures are based on extensive technical discussions between the Commission, Apple and numerous interested stakeholders, in particular developers. The measures take into account feedback received from third parties on the importance of interoperability for certain iOS features and on Apple’s handling of interoperability requests. Throughout the proceedings Apple and third parties were able to provide input and comment on the draft measures, in particular during a public consultation launched in December 2024. This constructive dialogue allowed the Commission to identify the measures that developers need to offer innovative products and services while ensuring that end users maintain their known iPhone user experience and enjoy improved interoperability.
On 6 September 2023, the Commission designated Apple and Alphabet as Gatekeepers for their respective app stores: Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store.
The DMA rules include, among others, the obligation for gatekeepers like Apple and Google to effectively allow the distribution of apps on their devices through third party app stores or the web (Article 6(4) DMA). They also include provisions related to app stores, such as the obligation for gatekeepers to allow app developers to steer users and communicate with them about alternative channels for purchasing digital content outside the app (Article 5(4) DMA). Digital content purchased outside of the app should then be accessible for consumption in the app (Article 5(5) DMA). Moreover, gatekeepers like Apple and Google are not allowed to impose the use of their in-app purchase systems on developers (Article 5(7) DMA) and should apply fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory general conditions of access for business users to their app stores (Article 6(12) DMA).
On the DMA website, you can find the Compliance reports where each Gatekeeper sets out how they are complying with the DMA obligations.
The Commission is carefully assessing all gatekeepers’ compliance, as well as any attempt of circumvention with the DMA, and will take appropriate enforcement action where necessary. Detailed feedback from businesses will be valuable input for this assessment. To contact the DMA Team as a business, please submit your request here. We will treat your submission as market information, and we will take it into account in our ongoing monitoring activity.
In February 2024, Apple announced plans to remove the Home Screen web apps capability in the EU as part of its efforts to comply with the DMA. Apple argues that the need to remove the capability was informed by the complex security and privacy concerns associated with web apps to support alternative browser engines that would require building a new integration architecture that does not currently exist in iOS and iPadOS.
Following the discussions between the Commission and Apple, Apple reverted its initial decision and confirmed on 1 March 2024 that it will continue to offer the existing Home Screen web apps capability in the EU. The situation for Progressive Web Apps on iOS therefore remains the same for EU users as prior to Apple’s announcement of 15 February 2024.
The removal of Home Screen web apps capability on iOS in the EU was neither required, nor justified, under the DMA.
Meta
Meta is currently designated under the DMA for the following Core Platform Services (CPSs): Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and Meta Ads. Please consult our Gatekeepers Portal for more information about the designation process or the Compliance reports to check how each Gatekeeper is complying with the DMA obligations.
While the DMA provides that consumers should be given the choice in respect to how they want their personal data to be used to be reached by businesses, it does not ban personalized advertising on platforms like Meta’s social networks.
The DMA prohibits undertakings that have been designated as gatekeepers (for example Meta) to combine and/or cross-use personal data between a relevant core platform service (e.g. Facebook, Instagram) in and with personal data from any further service (e.g. Meta Ads) unless the end users have been presented with a specific choice on whether they want to allow this combination and/or cross-use, for which they will need to give valid consent, or opt for a less personalized but equivalent alternative. For those users who do not accept such use of their data, in our preliminary view under the DMA, the Gatekeeper has to offer a less personalized but equivalent alternative of the service which uses less of their data for advertising.
The DMA intends to ensure that gatekeepers do not benefit from unfair advantages over their competitors through the accumulation of data across their services and that they do not undermine the contestability of core platform services by combining and/or cross-using personal data of end users who do not consent to such combination and/or cross-use. This contestability ultimately provides opportunities for other businesses in Europe and beyond and benefits companies by encouraging innovation and competitive services and prices.
In any case, the DMA does not prevent end users who are willing to be served with fully personalized ads to opt for such option, it aims to provide options to those users who do not wish for their personal data to be used in this way.
In November 2023, Meta introduced a binary “Pay or Consent” offer whereby EU users of Facebook and Instagram had to choose between the subscription for a monthly fee to an ads-free version of these social networks or the free-of-charge access to a version with personalised ads.
The Commission found this model to be not compliant with the DMA, as it did not give users the required specific choice to opt for a service that uses less of their personal data but is otherwise equivalent to the ‘personalised ads' service. Meta's model also did not allow users to exercise their right to freely consent to the combination of their personal data.
In November 2024, after numerous exchanges with the Commission, Meta introduced another version of the free personalised ads model, offering a new option that allegedly uses less personal data to display advertisements: the “Less Personalized Ads” option. This consists of a third option to the previously binary “Pay or Consent” advertising model offered by Meta on its Facebook and Instagram platforms. Once an end user has made the free “With Ads” choice, that user has now the possibility to make a further choice on whether they wishes to have a “fully personalized ads experience” or a “less personalized ads experience.” The "Less Personalized Ads" option relies on less data and enables users to be served with ads based only on what a user sees on Facebook and Instagram (i.e. the context of the current session) and a minimal set of personal data such as age, location, gender, and how the user engages with ads.
Meta argues that the presence of ads breaks in the “Less Personalized Ads” option is necessary to optimize end users and advertisers experience due to the significant decrease in relevance and personalization of ads caused by the reduction in data under the “Less Personalized ads” option. Meta further argues that ads breaks are required to continue to provide value to advertisers which ensures it can offer users a less personalized ads experience for free. For more information on the “Less Personalized Ads” new option introduced by Meta, including ads breaks, you can consult Meta press release under this link.
The Commission is currently assessing this new option, which was proposed by Meta but not endorsed by the Commission, and continues its dialogue with Meta, requesting the company to provide evidence of the impact that this ads model has in practice.
Amazon
Amazon is currently designated under the DMA for the following Core Platform Services (CPSs): Marketplace and Amazon Advertising. Please consult our Gatekeepers Portal for more information about the designation process or the Compliance reports to check how each Gatekeeper is complying with the DMA obligations.
On November 18th, 2025, the Commission opened three market investigations relating to cloud computing.
Two market investigations will assess whether Amazon and Microsoft should be designated as gatekeepers for their cloud computing services, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, under the DMA. In other words, the investigations will assess whether they act as important gateways between businesses and consumers, despite not meeting the DMA gatekeeper thresholds for size, user number and market position. The third market investigation will assess if the DMA can effectively tackle practices that may limit competitiveness and fairness in the cloud computing sector in the EU.
Analyses of cloud markets conducted in recent years appear to indicate that the cloud computing services Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services occupy very strong positions in relation to businesses and consumers. Moreover, the Commission will assess if certain features of the cloud sector may further reinforce the position of Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services.
If the Commission’s investigation finds that Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services qualify as important gateways under the DMA, the cloud computing services would be added to the list of core platform services for which Amazon and Microsoft are already designated as gatekeepers and Amazon and Microsoft would have 6 months to ensure full compliance of their services.
The third market investigation will assess if the DMA, in its current form, can effectively tackle practices that may limit competitiveness and fairness in the cloud computing sector in the EU. The investigation will cover, for instance, obstacles to interoperability between cloud computing services, limited or conditioned access for business users to data, tying and bundling of services, and highly imbalanced contractual terms.
Microsoft
Microsoft is currently designated under the DMA for the following Core Platform Services (CPSs): Windows PC OS and LinkedIn. Please consult our Gatekeepers Portal for more information about the designation process or the Compliance reports to check how each Gatekeeper is complying with the DMA obligations.
On November 18th, 2025, the Commission opened three market investigations relating to cloud computing.
Two market investigations will assess whether Amazon and Microsoft should be designated as gatekeepers for their cloud computing services, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, under the DMA. In other words, the investigations will assess whether they act as important gateways between businesses and consumers, despite not meeting the DMA gatekeeper thresholds for size, user number and market position. The third market investigation will assess if the DMA can effectively tackle practices that may limit competitiveness and fairness in the cloud computing sector in the EU.
Analyses of cloud markets conducted in recent years appear to indicate that the cloud computing services Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services occupy very strong positions in relation to businesses and consumers. Moreover, the Commission will assess if certain features of the cloud sector may further reinforce the position of Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services.
If the Commission’s investigation finds that Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services qualify as important gateways under the DMA, the cloud computing services would be added to the list of core platform services for which Amazon and Microsoft are already designated as gatekeepers and Amazon and Microsoft would have 6 months to ensure full compliance of their services.
The third market investigation will assess if the DMA, in its current form, can effectively tackle practices that may limit competitiveness and fairness in the cloud computing sector in the EU. The investigation will cover, for instance, obstacles to interoperability between cloud computing services, limited or conditioned access for business users to data, tying and bundling of services, and highly imbalanced contractual terms.
Booking
Booking is currently designated under the DMA for the following Core Platform Services (CPSs): Online intermediation services. Please consult our Gatekeepers Portal for more information about the designation process or the Compliance reports to check how each Gatekeeper is complying with the DMA obligations.
ByteDance
ByteDance is currently designated under the DMA for the following Core Platform Services (CPSs): TikTok. Please consult our Gatekeepers Portal for more information about the designation process or the Compliance reports to check how each Gatekeeper is complying with the DMA obligations.