What is the difference between the DMA and the DSA?
The DMA regulates designated digital gatekeepers; the DSA regulates online intermediary services and platform due diligence.
DMA vs DSA: The DMA is competition-style conduct law for designated gatekeepers; the DSA is online safety and accountability law for intermediary services, platforms and very large services. Sources: EUR-Lex: Digital Markets Act; EUR-Lex: Digital Services Act.
The short version
DMA status depends on Commission gatekeeper designation for core platform services. DSA duties depend on the type and scale of intermediary service offered to EU users.
Side by side
Regulation
DMA
Digital Markets Act
- What it is
- The DMA sets conduct rules for designated gatekeepers that provide core platform services.
- Scope
- Core platform services such as online intermediation, search engines, social networks, video-sharing platforms, app stores, browsers, operating systems, cloud services and advertising services when the provider is designated as a gatekeeper.
- Who it applies to
- Only undertakings designated by the Commission as gatekeepers for specific core platform services.
- Key dates
- Entered into force in 2022.
- Gatekeepers must comply with DMA obligations after designation and the act's compliance timetable.
- Core obligations
- Meet do-and-do-not conduct obligations for gatekeeper services.
- Avoid self-preferencing, certain tying practices and restrictions on business users where the DMA prohibits them.
- Provide required data access, interoperability or portability where the relevant DMA obligation applies.
- Penalties
- The Commission can fine gatekeepers up to 10% of total worldwide turnover, or up to 20% for repeated infringements, plus periodic penalty payments.
Regulation
DSA
Digital Services Act
- What it is
- The DSA sets due-diligence, transparency and risk-management duties for online intermediaries, with the strongest duties for very large services.
- Scope
- Intermediary services offered to recipients in the EU, including hosting, online platforms, marketplaces, very large online platforms and very large online search engines.
- Who it applies to
- Providers of intermediary services, with obligations scaling by service type, size and designation status.
- Key dates
- Entered into force in 2022.
- Most providers have applied the DSA since 17 February 2024; designated very large services faced earlier duties.
- Core obligations
- Maintain points of contact, terms transparency and illegal-content notice mechanisms where required.
- For platforms, handle complaints, trusted flaggers, advertising transparency and recommender transparency.
- For VLOPs and VLOSEs, assess and mitigate systemic risks, undergo audits and provide data access to vetted researchers.
- Penalties
- Member States and the Commission can impose penalties; the DSA caps fines for infringements at up to 6% of annual worldwide turnover.
Which applies to you?
If your company is designated as a gatekeeper, the DMA is central. If you host, transmit, cache, rank, sell through or moderate user content or marketplace listings online, check the DSA even if you are not a gatekeeper.
Frequently asked
Can the same company be subject to both DMA and DSA?
Yes. A large platform group can be a DMA gatekeeper for some services and also a DSA platform or VLOP for online intermediary services.
Is the DMA only for very large platforms?
In practice it targets very large core platform services, but legally the key trigger is formal gatekeeper designation under the DMA.
Does the DSA regulate competition?
The DSA is mainly about intermediary due diligence, transparency and systemic risk. Competition-style gatekeeper conduct rules sit in the DMA.
Official sources
Comparisons are grounded explainers, not legal advice. Use the linked EUR-Lex texts and official sources for binding legal wording.
Related terms
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