Agency Insights: The first steps of the DMA adventure

This piece is a short essay on the first steps of the implementation of the Digital Markets Act. Our paper is divided in three sections. In the first section “Why does the DMA exist?”, we come back on the genesis of the DMA and the complementing role it plays with competition law. In the second section “Challenges of Gatekeeper Designations”, we look back at this first important step in the implementation of the DMA, and highlight that a key topic in the context of these designation proceedings has been the determination of the appropriate delineation of the core platform services to be designated. Finally, in the third section “Challenges of DMA compliance”, we set out our high-level vision and approach for the concrete implementation of the DMA by the gatekeepers and their endeavour to comply with the various obligations and prohibitions contained in the DMA. In this regard, we highlight that our aim with the DMA is to create room for opportunities.