keyboard_tab Digital Service Act 2022/2065 EN
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CHAPTER I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
CHAPTER II
LIABILITY OF PROVIDERS OF INTERMEDIARY SERVICES
CHAPTER III
DUE DILIGENCE OBLIGATIONS FOR A TRANSPARENT AND SAFE ONLINE ENVIRONMENT
SECTION 1
Provisions applicable to all providers of intermediary services
SECTION 2
Additional provisions applicable to providers of hosting services, including online platforms
SECTION 3
Additional provisions applicable to providers of online platforms
SECTION 4
Additional provisions applicable to providers of online platforms allowing consumers to conclude distance contracts with traders
SECTION 5
Additional obligations for providers of very large online platforms and of very large online search engines to manage systemic risks
SECTION 6
Other provisions concerning due diligence obligations
CHAPTER IV
IMPLEMENTATION, COOPERATION, PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT
SECTION 1
Competent authorities and national Digital Services Coordinators
SECTION 2
Competences, coordinated investigation and consistency mechanisms
SECTION 3
European Board for Digital Services
SECTION 4
Supervision, investigation, enforcement and monitoring in respect of providers of very large online platforms and of very large online search engines
SECTION 5
Common provisions on enforcement
SECTION 6
Delegated and implementing acts
CHAPTER V
FINAL PROVISIONS
- information society service
- recipient of the service
- consumer
- to offer services in the Union
- substantial connection to the Union
- trader
- intermediary service
- mere conduit
- caching
- hosting
- illegal content
- online platform
- online search engine
- dissemination to the public
- distance contract
- online interface
- Digital Services Coordinator of establishment
- Digital Services Coordinator of destination
- active recipient of an online platform
- active recipient of an online search engine
- advertisement
- recommender system
- content moderation
- terms and conditions
- persons with disabilities
- commercial communication
- turnover
- Mere conduit
- Caching
- shall 48
- large 44
- very 44
- paragraph 40
- request 32
- commission 29
- pursuant 27
- decision 25
- data 25
- measures 23
- referred 22
- services 19
- access 18
- specific 18
- regulation 17
- information 17
- application 17
- digital 17
- provider 16
- providers 15
- board 14
- online_platforms 14
- online_search_engines 14
- coordinator 13
- they 13
- including 13
- report 12
- digital_services_coordinator_of_establishment 12
- research 12
- service 11
- the 11
- particular 11
- concerned 10
- take 10
- account 10
- which 10
- following 9
- period 9
- appropriate 9
- purposes 8
- online_platform 8
- point b 8
- researchers 8
- rights 8
- online_search_engine 8
- purpose 7
- relevant 7
- provide 7
- have 7
- compliance 7
Article 36
Crisis response mechanism
1. Where a crisis occurs, the Commission, acting upon a recommendation of the Board may adopt a decision, requiring one or more providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines to take one or more of the following actions:
| (a) | assess whether, and if so to what extent and how, the functioning and use of their services significantly contribute to a serious threat as referred to in paragraph 2, or are likely to do so; |
| (b) | identify and apply specific, effective and proportionate measures, such as any of those provided for in Article 35(1) or Article 48(2), to prevent, eliminate or limit any such contribution to the serious threat identified pursuant to point (a) of this paragraph; |
| (c) | report to the Commission by a certain date or at regular intervals specified in the decision, on the assessments referred to in point (a), on the precise content, implementation and qualitative and quantitative impact of the specific measures taken pursuant to point (b) and on any other issue related to those assessments or those measures, as specified in the decision. |
When identifying and applying measures pursuant to point (b) of this paragraph, the service provider or providers shall take due account of the gravity of the serious threat referred to in paragraph 2, of the urgency of the measures and of the actual or potential implications for the rights and legitimate interests of all parties concerned, including the possible failure of the measures to respect the fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter.
2. for the purpose of this Article, a crisis shall be deemed to have occurred where extraordinary circumstances lead to a serious threat to public security or public health in the Union or in significant parts of it.
3. When taking the decision referred to in paragraph 1, the Commission shall ensure that all of the following requirements are met:
| (a) | the actions required by the decision are strictly necessary, justified and proportionate, having regard in particular to the gravity of the serious threat referred to in paragraph 2, the urgency of the measures and the actual or potential implications for the rights and legitimate interests of all parties concerned, including the possible failure of the measures to respect the fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter; |
| (b) | the decision specifies a reasonable period within which specific measures referred to in paragraph 1, point (b), are to be taken, having regard, in particular, to the urgency of those measures and the time needed to prepare and implement them; |
| (c) | the actions required by the decision are limited to a period not exceeding three months. |
4. After adopting the decision referred to in paragraph 1, the Commission shall, without undue delay, take the following steps:
| (a) | notify the decision to the provider or providers to which the decision is addressed; |
| (b) | make the decision publicly available; and |
| (c) | inform the Board of the decision, invite it to submit its views thereon, and keep it informed of any subsequent developments relating to the decision. |
5. The choice of specific measures to be taken pursuant to paragraph 1, point (b), and to paragraph 7, second subparagraph, shall remain with the provider or providers addressed by the Commission’s decision.
6. The Commission may on its own initiative or at the request of the provider, engage in a dialogue with the provider to determine whether, in light of the provider’s specific circumstances, the intended or implemented measures referred to in paragraph 1, point (b), are effective and proportionate in achieving the objectives pursued. In particular, the Commission shall ensure that the measures taken by the service provider under paragraph 1, point (b), meet the requirements referred to in paragraph 3, points (a) and (c).
7. The Commission shall monitor the application of the specific measures taken pursuant to the decision referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article on the basis of the reports referred to in point (c) of that paragraph and any other relevant information, including information it may request pursuant to Article 40 or 67, taking into account the evolution of the crisis. The Commission shall report regularly to the Board on that monitoring, at least on a monthly basis.
Where the Commission considers that the intended or implemented specific measures pursuant to paragraph 1, point (b), are not effective or proportionate it may, after consulting the Board, adopt a decision requiring the provider to review the identification or application of those specific measures.
8. Where appropriate in view of the evolution of the crisis, the Commission, acting on the Board’s recommendation, may amend the decision referred to in paragraph 1 or in paragraph 7, second subparagraph, by:
| (a) | revoking the decision and, where appropriate, requiring the very large online_platform or very large online_search_engine to cease to apply the measures identified and implemented pursuant to paragraph 1, point (b), or paragraph 7, second subparagraph, in particular where the grounds for such measures do not exist anymore; |
| (b) | extending the period referred to paragraph 3, point (c), by a period of no more than three months; |
| (c) | taking account of experience gained in applying the measures, in particular the possible failure of the measures to respect the fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter. |
9. The requirements of paragraphs 1 to 6 shall apply to the decision and to the amendment thereof referred to in this Article.
10. The Commission shall take utmost account of the recommendation of the Board issued pursuant to this Article.
11. The Commission shall report to the European Parliament and to the Council on a yearly basis following the adoption of decisions in accordance with this Article, and, in any event, three months after the end of the crisis, on the application of the specific measures taken pursuant to those decisions.
Article 40
Data access and scrutiny
1. Providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines shall provide the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment or the Commission, at their reasoned request and within a reasonable period specified in that request, access to data that are necessary to monitor and assess compliance with this Regulation.
2. Digital Services Coordinators and the Commission shall use the data accessed pursuant to paragraph 1 only for the purpose of monitoring and assessing compliance with this Regulation and shall take due account of the rights and interests of the providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines and the recipients of the service concerned, including the protection of personal data, the protection of confidential information, in particular trade secrets, and maintaining the security of their service.
3. for the purposes of paragraph 1, providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines shall, at the request of either the Digital Service Coordinator of establishment or of the Commission, explain the design, the logic, the functioning and the testing of their algorithmic systems, including their recommender_systems.
4. Upon a reasoned request from the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment, providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines shall, within a reasonable period, as specified in the request, provide access to data to vetted researchers who meet the requirements in paragraph 8 of this Article, for the sole purpose of conducting research that contributes to the detection, identification and understanding of systemic risks in the Union, as set out pursuant to Article 34(1), and to the assessment of the adequacy, efficiency and impacts of the risk mitigation measures pursuant to Article 35.
5. Within 15 days following receipt of a request as referred to in paragraph 4, providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines may request the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment, to amend the request, where they consider that they are unable to give access to the data requested because one of following two reasons:
| (a) | they do not have access to the data; |
| (b) | giving access to the data will lead to significant vulnerabilities in the security of their service or the protection of confidential information, in particular trade secrets. |
6. Requests for amendment pursuant to paragraph 5 shall contain proposals for one or more alternative means through which access may be provided to the requested data or other data which are appropriate and sufficient for the purpose of the request.
The Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment shall decide on the request for amendment within 15 days and communicate to the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine its decision and, where relevant, the amended request and the new period to comply with the request.
7. Providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines shall facilitate and provide access to data pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 4 through appropriate interfaces specified in the request, including online databases or application programming interfaces.
8. Upon a duly substantiated application from researchers, the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment shall grant such researchers the status of ‘vetted researchers’ for the specific research referred to in the application and issue a reasoned request for data access to a provider of very large online_platform or of very large online_search_engine a pursuant to paragraph 4, where the researchers demonstrate that they meet all of the following conditions:
| (a) | they are affiliated to a research organisation as defined in Article 2, point (1), of Directive (EU) 2019/790; |
| (b) | they are independent from commercial interests; |
| (c) | their application discloses the funding of the research; |
| (d) | they are capable of fulfilling the specific data security and confidentiality requirements corresponding to each request and to protect personal data, and they describe in their request the appropriate technical and organisational measures that they have put in place to this end; |
| (e) | their application demonstrates that their access to the data and the time frames requested are necessary for, and proportionate to, the purposes of their research, and that the expected results of that research will contribute to the purposes laid down in paragraph 4; |
| (f) | the planned research activities will be carried out for the purposes laid down in paragraph 4; |
| (g) | they have committed themselves to making their research results publicly available free of charge, within a reasonable period after the completion of the research, subject to the rights and interests of the recipients of the service concerned, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679. |
Upon receipt of the application pursuant to this paragraph, the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment shall inform the Commission and the Board.
9. Researchers may also submit their application to the Digital Services Coordinator of the Member State of the research organisation to which they are affiliated. Upon receipt of the application pursuant to this paragraph the Digital Services Coordinator shall conduct an initial assessment as to whether the respective researchers meet all of the conditions set out in paragraph 8. The respective Digital Services Coordinator shall subsequently send the application, together with the supporting documents submitted by the respective researchers and the initial assessment, to the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment. The Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment shall take a decision whether to award a researcher the status of ‘vetted researcher’ without undue delay.
While taking due account of the initial assessment provided, the final decision to award a researcher the status of ‘vetted researcher’ lies within the competence of Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment, pursuant to paragraph 8.
10. The Digital Services Coordinator that awarded the status of vetted researcher and issued the reasoned request for data access to the providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines in favour of a vetted researcher shall issue a decision terminating the access if it determines, following an investigation either on its own initiative or on the basis of information received from third parties, that the vetted researcher no longer meets the conditions set out in paragraph 8, and shall inform the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned of the decision. Before terminating the access, the Digital Services Coordinator shall allow the vetted researcher to react to the findings of its investigation and to its intention to terminate the access.
11. Digital Services Coordinators of establishment shall communicate to the Board the names and contact information of the natural persons or entities to which they have awarded the status of ‘vetted researcher’ in accordance with paragraph 8, as well as the purpose of the research in respect of which the application was made or, where they have terminated the access to the data in accordance with paragraph 10, communicate that information to the Board.
12. Providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines shall give access without undue delay to data, including, where technically possible, to real-time data, provided that the data is publicly accessible in their online_interface by researchers, including those affiliated to not for profit bodies, organisations and associations, who comply with the conditions set out in paragraph 8, points (b), (c), (d) and (e), and who use the data solely for performing research that contributes to the detection, identification and understanding of systemic risks in the Union pursuant to Article 34(1).
13. The Commission shall, after consulting the Board, adopt delegated acts supplementing this Regulation by laying down the technical conditions under which providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines are to share data pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 4 and the purposes for which the data may be used. Those delegated acts shall lay down the specific conditions under which such sharing of data with researchers can take place in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679, as well as relevant objective indicators, procedures and, where necessary, independent advisory mechanisms in support of sharing of data, taking into account the rights and interests of the providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines and the recipients of the service concerned, including the protection of confidential information, in particular trade secrets, and maintaining the security of their service.
Article 57
Mutual assistance
1. Digital Services Coordinators and the Commission shall cooperate closely and provide each other with mutual assistance in order to apply this Regulation in a consistent and efficient manner. Mutual assistance shall include, in particular, exchange of information in accordance with this Article and the duty of the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment to inform all Digital Services Coordinators of destination, the Board and the Commission about the opening of an investigation and the intention to take a final decision, including its assessment, in respect of a specific provider of intermediary_services.
2. for the purpose of an investigation, the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment may request other Digital Services Coordinators to provide specific information in their possession as regards a specific provider of intermediary_services or to exercise their investigative powers referred to in Article 51(1) with regard to specific information located in their Member State. Where appropriate, the Digital Services Coordinator receiving the request may involve other competent authorities or other public authorities of the Member State in question.
3. The Digital Services Coordinator receiving the request pursuant to paragraph 2 shall comply with such request and inform the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment about the action taken, without undue delay and no later than two months after its receipt, unless:
| (a) | the scope or the subject matter of the request is not sufficiently specified, justified or proportionate in view of the investigative purposes; or |
| (b) | neither the requested Digital Service Coordinator nor other competent authority or other public authority of that Member State is in possession of the requested information nor can have access to it; or |
| (c) | the request cannot be complied with without infringing Union or national law. |
The Digital Services Coordinator receiving the request shall justify its refusal by submitting a reasoned reply, within the period set out in the first subparagraph.
Article 65
Enforcement of obligations of providers of very large online_platforms and of very large online_search_engines
1. for the purposes of investigating compliance of providers of very large online_platforms and of very large online_search_engines with the obligations laid down in this Regulation, the Commission may exercise the investigatory powers laid down in this Section even before initiating proceedings pursuant to Article 66(2). It may exercise those powers on its own initiative or following a request pursuant to paragraph 2 of this Article.
2. Where a Digital Services Coordinator has reason to suspect that a provider of a very large online_platform or of a very large online_search_engine has infringed the provisions of Section 5 of Chapter III or has systemically infringed any of the provisions of this Regulation in a manner that seriously affects recipients of the service in its Member State, it may send, through the information sharing system referred to in Article 85, a request to the Commission to assess the matter.
3. A request pursuant to paragraph 2 shall be duly reasoned and at least indicate:
| (a) | the point of contact of the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned as provided for in Article 11; |
| (b) | a description of the relevant facts, the provisions of this Regulation concerned and the reasons why the Digital Services Coordinator that sent the request suspects that the provider of the very large online_platforms or of the very large online_search_engine concerned infringed this Regulation, including a description of the facts that show that the suspected infringement is of a systemic nature; |
| (c) | any other information that the Digital Services Coordinator that sent the request considers relevant, including, where appropriate, information gathered on its own initiative. |
Article 72
Monitoring actions
1. for the purposes of carrying out the tasks assigned to it under this Section, the Commission may take the necessary actions to monitor the effective implementation and compliance with this Regulation by providers of the very large online_platform and of the very large online_search_engines. The Commission may order them to provide access to, and explanations relating to, its databases and algorithms. Such actions may include, imposing an obligation on the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine to retain all documents deemed to be necessary to assess the implementation of and compliance with the obligations under this Regulation.
2. The actions pursuant to paragraph 1 may include the appointment of independent external experts and auditors, as well as experts and auditors from competent national authorities with the agreement of the authority concerned, to assist the Commission in monitoring the effective implementation and compliance with the relevant provisions of this Regulation and to provide specific expertise or knowledge to the Commission.
Article 91
Review
1. By 18 February 2027, the Commission shall evaluate and report to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee on the potential effect of this Regulation on the development and economic growth of small and medium-sized enterprises.
By 17 November 2025, the Commission shall evaluate and report to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee on:
| (a) | the application of Article 33, including the scope of providers of intermediary_services covered by the obligations set out in Section 5 of Chapter III of this Regulation; |
| (b) | the way that this Regulation interacts with other legal acts, in particular the acts referred to in Article 2(3) and (4). |
2. By 17 November 2027, and every five years thereafter, the Commission shall evaluate this Regulation, and report to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee.
This report shall address in particular:
| (a) | the application of paragraph 1, second subparagraph, points (a) and (b); |
| (b) | the contribution of this Regulation to the deepening and efficient functioning of the internal market for intermediary_services, in particular as regards the cross-border provision of digital services; |
| (c) | the application of Articles 13, 16, 20, 21, 45 and 46; |
| (d) | the scope of the obligations on small and micro enterprises; |
| (e) | the effectiveness of the supervision and enforcement mechanisms; |
| (f) | the impact on the respect for the right to freedom of expression and information. |
3. Where appropriate, the report referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be accompanied by a proposal for amendment of this Regulation.
4. The Commission shall, in the report referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article, also evaluate and report on the annual reports on their activities by the Digital Services Coordinators provided to the Commission and the Board pursuant to Article 55(1).
5. for the purpose of paragraph 2, Member States and the Board shall send information on the request of the Commission.
6. In carrying out the evaluations referred to in paragraph 2, the Commission shall take into account the positions and findings of the European Parliament, the Council, and other relevant bodies or sources, and shall pay specific attention to small and medium-sized enterprises and the position of new competitors.
7. By 18 February 2027, the Commission, after consulting the Board, shall carry out an assessment of the functioning of the Board and of the application of Article 43, and shall report it to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee, taking into account the first years of application of the Regulation. On the basis of the findings and taking utmost account of the opinion of the Board, that report shall, where appropriate, be accompanied by a proposal for amendment of this Regulation with regard to the structure of the Board.
whereas