keyboard_tab Digital Market Act 2022/1925 EN
BG CS DA DE EL EN ES ET FI FR GA HR HU IT LV LT MT NL PL PT RO SK SL SV print pdf
- 2 Article 23 Powers to conduct inspections
- 1 Article 24 Interim measures
- 1 Article 30 Fines
- 5 Article 32 Limitation periods for the imposition of penalties
- 1 Article 34 Right to be heard and access to the file
- 1 Article 42 Representative actions
CHAPTER I
SUBJECT MATTER, SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS
CHAPTER II
GATEKEEPERS
CHAPTER III
PRACTICES OF GATEKEEPERS THAT LIMIT CONTESTABILITY OR ARE UNFAIR
CHAPTER IV
MARKET INVESTIGATION
CHAPTER V
INVESTIGATIVE, ENFORCEMENT AND MONITORING POWERS
CHAPTER VI
FINAL PROVISIONS
- gatekeeper
- core platform service
- information society service
- digital sector
- online intermediation services
- online search engine
- online social networking service
- video-sharing platform service
- number-independent interpersonal communications service
- operating system
- web browser
- virtual assistant
- cloud computing service
- software application stores
- software application
- payment service
- technical service supporting payment service
- payment system for in-app purchases
- identification service
- end user
- business user
- ranking
- search results
- data
- personal data
- non-personal data
- undertaking
- control
- interoperability
- turnover
- profiling
- consent
- national court
- General
- Active end users
- Active business users
- Submission of information
- Specific definitions
- commission 53
- article 42
- shall 34
- undertakings 25
- pursuant 24
- inspection 19
- association 15
- decision 14
- information 14
- which 14
- authority 13
- member 13
- national 11
- fail 11
- undertaking 11
- time 10
- period 10
- fines 9
- infringement 9
- competent 9
- referred 9
- access 8
- concerned 8
- gatekeeper 8
- limitation 8
- rules 8
- state 8
- payment 7
- from 7
- enforcing 7
- fine 7
- have 7
- subject 7
- the 7
- measures 7
- explanations 6
- required 6
- proceedings 6
- incomplete 6
- article 6
- and 6
- officials 6
- incorrect 6
- conduct 6
- necessary 6
- business 6
- misleading 6
- authorised 6
- whose 6
- supply 5
Article 23
Powers to conduct inspections
1. In order to carry out its duties under this Regulation, the Commission may conduct all necessary inspections of an undertaking or association of undertakings.
2. The officials and other accompanying persons authorised by the Commission to conduct an inspection are empowered to:
| (a) | enter any premises, land and means of transport of undertakings and associations of undertakings; |
| (b) | examine the books and other records related to the business, irrespective of the medium on which they are stored; |
| (c) | take or obtain in any form copies of or extracts from such books or records; |
| (d) | require the undertaking or association of undertakings to provide access to and explanations on its organisation, functioning, IT system, algorithms, data-handling and business practices and to record or document the explanations given by any technical means; |
| (e) | seal any business premises and books or records for the duration of, and to the extent necessary for, the inspection; |
| (f) | ask any representative or member of staff of the undertaking or association of undertakings for explanations of facts or documents relating to the subject-matter and purpose of the inspection, and to record the answers by any technical means. |
3. To carry out inspections, the Commission may request the assistance of auditors or experts appointed by the Commission pursuant to Article 26(2), as well as the assistance of the national competent authority of the Member State, enforcing the rules referred to in Article 1(6) in whose territory the inspection is to be conducted.
4. During inspections the Commission, auditors or experts appointed by it and the national competent authority of the Member State, enforcing the rules referred to in Article 1(6) in whose territory the inspection is to be conducted may require the undertaking or association of undertakings to provide access to and explanations on its organisation, functioning, IT system, algorithms, data-handling and business conducts. The Commission and auditors or experts appointed by it and the national competent authority of the Member State, enforcing the rules referred to in Article 1(6) in whose territory the inspection is to be conducted may address questions to any representative or member of staff.
5. The officials and other accompanying persons authorised by the Commission to conduct an inspection shall exercise their powers upon production of a written authorisation specifying the subject matter and purpose of the inspection and the fines provided for in Article 30 applicable in the event that the production of the required books or other records related to the business is incomplete or where the answers to questions asked under paragraphs 2 and 4 of this Article are incorrect or misleading. In good time before the inspection, the Commission shall give notice of the inspection to the national competent authority of the Member State enforcing the rules referred to in Article 1(6) in whose territory it is to be conducted.
6. Undertakings or associations of undertakings are required to submit to an inspection ordered by a Commission decision. That decision shall specify the subject matter and purpose of the inspection, set the date on which it is to begin and indicate the fines and periodic penalty payments provided for in Articles 30 and 31 respectively, and the right to have that decision reviewed by the Court of Justice.
7. Officials of, and the persons authorised or appointed by, the national competent authority of the Member State enforcing the rules referred to in Article 1(6) in whose territory the inspection is to be conducted shall, at the request of that authority or of the Commission, actively assist the officials and other accompanying persons authorised by the Commission. To this end, they shall enjoy the powers set out in paragraphs 2 and 4 of this Article.
8. Where the officials and other accompanying persons authorised by the Commission find that an undertaking or association of undertakings opposes an inspection ordered pursuant to this Article, the Member State concerned shall afford them the necessary assistance, requesting, where appropriate, the assistance of the police or of an equivalent enforcement authority, so as to enable them to conduct their inspection.
9. If, according to national rules, the assistance provided for in paragraph 8 of this Article requires authorisation from a judicial authority, the Commission or the national competent authority of the Member State enforcing the rules referred to in Article 1(6) or officials authorised by those authorities shall apply for it. Such authorisation may also be applied for as a precautionary measure.
10. Where authorisation referred to in paragraph 9 of this Article is applied for, the national judicial authority shall verify that the Commission decision is authentic and that the coercive measures envisaged are neither arbitrary nor excessive having regard to the subject matter of the inspection. In its control of the proportionality of the coercive measures, the national judicial authority may ask the Commission, directly or through the national competent authority of the Member State, enforcing the rules referred to in Article 1(6), for detailed explanations in particular on the grounds the Commission has for suspecting infringement of this Regulation, as well as on the seriousness of the suspected infringement and on the nature of the involvement of the undertaking concerned. However, the national judicial authority may not call into question the necessity of the inspection nor demand that it be provided with the information in the file of the Commission. The lawfulness of the Commission decision shall be subject to review only by the Court of Justice.
Article 24
Interim measures
In case of urgency due to the risk of serious and irreparable damage for business_users or end_users of gatekeepers, the Commission may adopt an implementing act ordering interim measures against a gatekeeper on the basis of a prima facie finding of an infringement of Article 5, 6 or 7. That implementing act shall be adopted only in the context of proceedings opened with a view to the possible adoption of a non-compliance decision pursuant to Article 29(1). It shall apply only for a specified period of time and may be renewed in so far this is necessary and appropriate. That implementing act shall be adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 50(2).
Article 30
Fines
1. In the non-compliance decision, the Commission may impose on a gatekeeper fines not exceeding 10 % of its total worldwide turnover in the preceding financial year where it finds that the gatekeeper, intentionally or negligently, fails to comply with:
| (a) | any of the obligations laid down in Articles 5, 6 and 7; |
| (b) | measures specified by the Commission in a decision adopted pursuant to Article 8(2); |
| (c) | remedies imposed pursuant to Article 18(1); |
| (d) | interim measures ordered pursuant to Article 24; or |
| (e) | commitments made legally binding pursuant to Article 25. |
2. Notwithstanding paragraph 1 of this Article, in the non-compliance decision the Commission may impose on a gatekeeper fines up to 20 % of its total worldwide turnover in the preceding financial year where it finds that a gatekeeper has committed the same or a similar infringement of an obligation laid down in Article 5, 6 or 7 in relation to the same core_platform_service as it was found to have committed in a non-compliance decision adopted in the 8 preceding years.
3. The Commission may adopt a decision, imposing on undertakings, including gatekeepers where applicable, and associations of undertakings, fines not exceeding 1 % of their total worldwide turnover in the preceding financial year where they intentionally or negligently:
| (a) | fail to provide within the time limit information that is required for assessing their designation as gatekeepers pursuant to Article 3 or supply incorrect, incomplete or misleading information; |
| (b) | fail to comply with the obligation to notify the Commission according to Article 3(3); |
| (c) | fail to notify information or supply incorrect, incomplete or misleading information that is required pursuant to Article 14; |
| (d) | fail to submit the description or supply incorrect, incomplete or misleading information that is required pursuant to Article 15; |
| (e) | fail to provide access to data, algorithms or information about testing in response to a request made pursuant to Article 21(3); |
| (f) | fail to supply the information requested within the time limit fixed pursuant to Article 21(3) or supply incorrect, incomplete or misleading information or explanations that are requested pursuant to Article 21 or given in an interview pursuant to Article 22; |
| (g) | fail to rectify within a time limit set by the Commission, incorrect, incomplete or misleading information given by a representative or a member of staff, or fail or refuse to provide complete information on facts relating to the subject-matter and purpose of an inspection, pursuant to Article 23; |
| (h) | refuse to submit to an inspection pursuant to Article 23; |
| (i) | fail to comply with the obligations imposed by the Commission pursuant to Article 26; |
| (j) | fail to introduce a compliance function in accordance with Article 28; or |
| (k) | fail to comply with the conditions for access to the Commission’s file pursuant to Article 34(4). |
4. In fixing the amount of a fine, the Commission shall take into account the gravity, duration, recurrence, and, for fines imposed pursuant to paragraph 3, delay caused to the proceedings.
5. When a fine is imposed on an association of undertakings taking account of the worldwide turnover of its members and that association is not solvent, it shall be obliged to call for contributions from its members to cover the amount of the fine.
Where such contributions have not been made to the association of undertakings within a time limit set by the Commission, the Commission may require payment of the fine directly by any of the undertakings whose representatives were members of the decision-making bodies concerned of that association.
After having required payment in accordance with the second subparagraph, the Commission may require payment of the balance by any of the members of the association of undertakings, where necessary to ensure full payment of the fine.
However, the Commission shall not require payment pursuant to the second or the third subparagraph from undertakings which show that they have not implemented the decision of the association of undertakings that infringed this Regulation, and either were not aware of its existence, or have actively distanced themselves from it before the Commission opened proceedings under Article 20.
The financial liability of each undertaking in respect of the payment of the fine shall not exceed 20 % of its total worldwide turnover in the preceding financial year.
Article 32
Limitation periods for the imposition of penalties
1. The powers conferred on the Commission by Articles 30 and 31 shall be subject to a 5 year limitation period.
2. Time shall begin to run on the day on which the infringement is committed. However, in the case of continuing or repeated infringements, time shall begin to run on the day on which the infringement ceases.
3. Any action taken by the Commission for the purpose of a market investigation or proceedings in respect of an infringement shall interrupt the limitation period for the imposition of fines or periodic penalty payments. The limitation period shall be interrupted with effect from the date on which the action is notified to at least one undertaking or association of undertakings which has participated in the infringement. Actions which interrupt the running of the period shall include in particular the following:
| (a) | requests for information by the Commission; |
| (b) | written authorisations to conduct inspections issued to its officials by the Commission; |
| (c) | the opening of a proceeding by the Commission pursuant to Article 20. |
4. Each interruption shall start time running afresh. However, the limitation period shall expire at the latest on the day on which a period equal to twice the limitation period has elapsed without the Commission having imposed a fine or a periodic penalty payment. That period shall be extended by the time during which limitation is suspended pursuant to paragraph 5.
5. The limitation period for the imposition of fines or periodic penalty payments shall be suspended for as long as the decision of the Commission is the subject of proceedings pending before the Court of Justice.
Article 34
Right to be heard and access to the file
1. Before adopting a decision pursuant to Article 8, Article 9(1), Article 10(1), Articles 17, 18, 24, 25, 29 and 30 and Article 31(2), the Commission shall give the gatekeeper or undertaking or association of undertakings concerned the opportunity of being heard on:
| (a) | preliminary findings of the Commission, including any matter to which the Commission has taken objection; and |
| (b) | measures that the Commission may intend to take in view of the preliminary findings pursuant to point (a) of this paragraph. |
2. Gatekeepers, undertakings and associations of undertakings concerned may submit their observations to the Commission concerning the Commission’s preliminary findings within a time limit set by the Commission in its preliminary findings which may not be less than 14 days.
3. The Commission shall base its decisions only on preliminary findings, including any matter to which the Commission has taken objection, on which gatekeepers, undertakings and associations of undertakings concerned have been able to comment.
4. The rights of defence of the gatekeeper, undertaking or association of undertakings concerned shall be fully respected in any proceedings. The gatekeeper, undertaking or association of undertakings concerned shall be entitled to have access to the Commission's file under terms of disclosure, subject to the legitimate interest of undertakings in the protection of their business secrets. In the case of disagreement between the parties, the Commission may adopt decisions setting out those terms of disclosure. The right of access to the file of the Commission shall not extend to confidential information and internal documents of the Commission or the competent authorities of the Member States. In particular, the right of access shall not extend to correspondence between the Commission and the competent authorities of the Member States. Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent the Commission from disclosing and using information necessary to prove an infringement.
Article 42
Representative actions
Directive (EU) 2020/1828 shall apply to the representative actions brought against infringements by gatekeepers of provisions of this Regulation that harm or may harm the collective interests of consumers.
whereas