keyboard_tab Digital Service Act 2022/2065 EN

1.   where an information_society_service is provided that consists of the transmission in a communication network of information provided by a recipient_of_the_service, the service provider shall not be liable for the automatic, intermediate and temporary storage of that information, performed for the sole purpose of making more efficient or more secure the information's onward transmission to other recipients of the service upon their request, on condition that the provider:

2.   This Article shall not affect the possibility for a judicial or administrative authority, in accordance with a Member State’s legal system, to require the service provider to terminate or prevent an infringement.

1.   where an information_society_service is provided that consists of the storage of information provided by a recipient_of_the_service, the service provider shall not be liable for the information stored at the request of a recipient_of_the_service, on condition that the provider:

2.   Paragraph 1 shall not apply where the recipient_of_the_service is acting under the authority or the control of the provider.

3.   Paragraph 1 shall not apply with respect to the liability under consumer protection law of online_platforms that allow consumers to conclude distance_contracts with traders, where such an online_platform presents the specific item of information or otherwise enables the specific transaction at issue in a way that would lead an average consumer to believe that the information, or the product or service that is the object of the transaction, is provided either by the online_platform itself or by a recipient_of_the_service who is acting under its authority or control.

4.   This Article shall not affect the possibility for a judicial or administrative authority, in accordance with a Member State's legal system, to require the service provider to terminate or prevent an infringement.

1.   Providers of intermediary_services shall include information on any restrictions that they impose in relation to the use of their service in respect of information provided by the recipients of the service, in their terms_and_conditions. That information shall include information on any policies, procedures, measures and tools used for the purpose of content_moderation, including algorithmic decision-making and human review, as well as the rules of procedure of their internal complaint handling system. It shall be set out in clear, plain, intelligible, user-friendly and unambiguous language, and shall be publicly available in an easily accessible and machine-readable format.

2.   Providers of intermediary_services shall inform the recipients of the service of any significant change to the terms_and_conditions.

3.   where an intermediary_service is primarily directed at minors or is predominantly used by them, the provider of that intermediary_service shall explain the conditions for, and any restrictions on, the use of the service in a way that minors can understand.

4.   Providers of intermediary_services shall act in a diligent, objective and proportionate manner in applying and enforcing the restrictions referred to in paragraph 1, with due regard to the rights and legitimate interests of all parties involved, including the fundamental rights of the recipients of the service, such as the freedom of expression, freedom and pluralism of the media, and other fundamental rights and freedoms as enshrined in the Charter.

5.   Providers of very large online_platforms and of very large online_search_engines shall provide recipients of services with a concise, easily-accessible and machine-readable summary of the terms_and_conditions, including the available remedies and redress mechanisms, in clear and unambiguous language.

6.   Very large online_platforms and very large online_search_engines within the meaning of Article 33 shall publish their terms_and_conditions in the official languages of all the Member States in which they offer their services.

1.   Providers of hosting services shall put mechanisms in place to allow any individual or entity to notify them of the presence on their service of specific items of information that the individual or entity considers to be illegal_content. Those mechanisms shall be easy to access and user-friendly, and shall allow for the submission of notices exclusively by electronic means.

2.   The mechanisms referred to in paragraph 1 shall be such as to facilitate the submission of sufficiently precise and adequately substantiated notices. To that end, the providers of hosting services shall take the necessary measures to enable and to facilitate the submission of notices containing all of the following elements:

3.   Notices referred to in this Article shall be considered to give rise to actual knowledge or awareness for the purposes of Article 6 in respect of the specific item of information concerned where they allow a diligent provider of hosting services to identify the illegality of the relevant activity or information without a detailed legal examination.

4.   where the notice contains the electronic contact information of the individual or entity that submitted it, the provider of hosting services shall, without undue delay, send a confirmation of receipt of the notice to that individual or entity.

5.   The provider shall also, without undue delay, notify that individual or entity of its decision in respect of the information to which the notice relates, providing information on the possibilities for redress in respect of that decision.

6.   Providers of hosting services shall process any notices that they receive under the mechanisms referred to in paragraph 1 and take their decisions in respect of the information to which the notices relate, in a timely, diligent, non-arbitrary and objective manner. Where they use automated means for that processing or decision-making, they shall include information on such use in the notification referred to in paragraph 5.

1.   where a provider of hosting services becomes aware of any information giving rise to a suspicion that a criminal offence involving a threat to the life or safety of a person or persons has taken place, is taking place or is likely to take place, it shall promptly inform the law enforcement or judicial authorities of the Member State or Member States concerned of its suspicion and provide all relevant information available.

2.   where the provider of hosting services cannot identify with reasonable certainty the Member State concerned, it shall inform the law enforcement authorities of the Member State in which it is established or where its legal representative resides or is established or inform Europol, or both.

For the purpose of this Article, the Member State concerned shall be the Member State in which the offence is suspected to have taken place, to be taking place or to be likely to take place, or the Member State where the suspected offender resides or is located, or the Member State where the victim of the suspected offence resides or is located.

1.   Providers of online_platforms shall take the necessary technical and organisational measures to ensure that notices submitted by trusted flaggers, acting within their designated area of expertise, through the mechanisms referred to in Article 16, are given priority and are processed and decided upon without undue delay.

2.   The status of ‘trusted flagger’ under this Regulation shall be awarded, upon application by any entity, by the Digital Services Coordinator of the Member State in which the applicant is established, to an applicant that has demonstrated that it meets all of the following conditions:

3.   Trusted flaggers shall publish, at least once a year easily comprehensible and detailed reports on notices submitted in accordance with Article 16 during the relevant period. The report shall list at least the number of notices categorised by:

Those reports shall include an explanation of the procedures in place to ensure that the trusted flagger retains its independence.

Trusted flaggers shall send those reports to the awarding Digital Services Coordinator, and shall make them publicly available. The information in those reports shall not contain personal data.

4.   Digital Services Coordinators shall communicate to the Commission and the Board the names, addresses and email addresses of the entities to which they have awarded the status of the trusted flagger in accordance with paragraph 2 or whose trusted flagger status they have suspended in accordance with paragraph 6 or revoked in accordance with paragraph 7.

5.   The Commission shall publish the information referred to in paragraph 4 in a publicly available database, in an easily accessible and machine-readable format, and shall keep the database up to date.

6.   where a provider of online_platforms has information indicating that a trusted flagger has submitted a significant number of insufficiently precise, inaccurate or inadequately substantiated notices through the mechanisms referred to in Article 16, including information gathered in connection to the processing of complaints through the internal complaint-handling systems referred to in Article 20(4), it shall communicate that information to the Digital Services Coordinator that awarded the status of trusted flagger to the entity concerned, providing the necessary explanations and supporting documents. Upon receiving the information from the provider of online_platforms, and if the Digital Services Coordinator considers that there are legitimate reasons to open an investigation, the status of trusted flagger shall be suspended during the period of the investigation. That investigation shall be carried out without undue delay.

7.   The Digital Services Coordinator that awarded the status of trusted flagger to an entity shall revoke that status if it determines, following an investigation either on its own initiative or on the basis information received from third parties, including the information provided by a provider of online_platforms pursuant to paragraph 6, that the entity no longer meets the conditions set out in paragraph 2. Before revoking that status, the Digital Services Coordinator shall afford the entity an opportunity to react to the findings of its investigation and its intention to revoke the entity’s status as trusted flagger.

8.   The Commission, after consulting the Board, shall, where necessary, issue guidelines to assist providers of online_platforms and Digital Services Coordinators in the application of paragraphs 2, 6 and 7.

1.   Providers of online_platforms that use recommender_systems shall set out in their terms_and_conditions, in plain and intelligible language, the main parameters used in their recommender_systems, as well as any options for the recipients of the service to modify or influence those main parameters.

2.   The main parameters referred to in paragraph 1 shall explain why certain information is suggested to the recipient_of_the_service. They shall include, at least:

3.   where several options are available pursuant to paragraph 1 for recommender_systems that determine the relative order of information presented to recipients of the service, providers of online_platforms shall also make available a functionality that allows the recipient_of_the_service to select and to modify at any time their preferred option. That functionality shall be directly and easily accessible from the specific section of the online_platform’s online_interface where the information is being prioritised.

1.   Providers of online_platforms allowing consumers to conclude distance_contracts with traders shall ensure that traders can only use those online_platforms to promote messages on or to offer products or services to consumers located in the Union if, prior to the use of their services for those purposes, they have obtained the following information, where applicable to the trader:

2.   Upon receiving the information referred to in paragraph 1 and prior to allowing the trader concerned to use its services, the provider of the online_platform allowing consumers to conclude distance_contracts with traders shall, through the use of any freely accessible official online database or online_interface made available by a Member State or the Union or through requests to the trader to provide supporting documents from reliable sources, make best efforts to assess whether the information referred to in paragraph 1, points (a) to (e), is reliable and complete. For the purpose of this Regulation, traders shall be liable for the accuracy of the information provided.

As regards traders that are already using the services of providers of online_platforms allowing consumers to conclude distance_contracts with traders for the purposes referred to in paragraph 1 on 17 February 2024, the providers shall make best efforts to obtain the information listed from the traders concerned within 12 months. Where the traders concerned fail to provide the information within that period, the providers shall suspend the provision of their services to those traders until they have provided all information.

3.   where the provider of the online_platform allowing consumers to conclude distance_contracts with traders obtains sufficient indications or has reason to believe that any item of information referred to in paragraph 1 obtained from the trader concerned is inaccurate, incomplete or not up-to-date, that provider shall request that the trader remedy that situation without delay or within the period set by Union and national law.

Where the trader fails to correct or complete that information, the provider of the online_platform allowing consumers to conclude distance_contracts with traders shall swiftly suspend the provision of its service to that trader in relation to the offering of products or services to consumers located in the Union until the request has been fully complied with.

4.   Without prejudice to Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1150, if a provider of an online_platform allowing consumers to conclude distance_contracts with traders refuses to allow a trader to use its service pursuant to paragraph 1, or suspends the provision of its service pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Article, the trader concerned shall have the right to lodge a complaint as provided for in Articles 20 and 21 of this Regulation.

5.   Providers of online_platforms allowing consumers to conclude distance_contracts with traders shall store the information obtained pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 in a secure manner for a period of six months after the end of the contractual relationship with the trader concerned. They shall subsequently delete the information.

6.   Without prejudice to paragraph 2 of this Article, the provider of the online_platform allowing consumers to conclude distance_contracts with traders shall only disclose the information to third parties where so required in accordance with the applicable law, including the orders referred to in Article 10 and any orders issued by Member States’ competent authorities or the Commission for the performance of their tasks under this Regulation.

7.   The provider of the online_platform allowing consumers to conclude distance_contracts with traders shall make the information referred to in paragraph 1, points (a), (d) and (e) available on its online_platform to the recipients of the service in a clear, easily accessible and comprehensible manner. That information shall be available at least on the online_platform’s online_interface where the information on the product or service is presented.

1.   where a provider of an online_platform allowing consumers to conclude distance_contracts with traders becomes aware, irrespective of the means used, that an illegal product or service has been offered by a trader to consumers located in the Union through its services, that provider shall inform, insofar as it has their contact details, consumers who purchased the illegal product or service through its services of the following:

The obligation laid down in the first subparagraph shall be limited to purchases of illegal products or services made within the six months preceding the moment that the provider became aware of the illegality.

2.   where, in the situation referred to in paragraph 1, the provider of the online_platform allowing consumers to conclude distance_contracts with traders does not have the contact details of all consumers concerned, that provider shall make publicly available and easily accessible on its online_interface the information concerning the illegal product or service, the identity of the trader and any relevant means of redress.

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:

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:

4.   After adopting the decision referred to in paragraph 1, the Commission shall, without undue delay, take the following steps:

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:

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.

1.   Providers of very large online_platforms and of very large online_search_engines shall be subject, at their own expense and at least once a year, to independent audits to assess compliance with the following:

2.   Providers of very large online_platforms and of very large online_search_engines shall afford the organisations carrying out the audits pursuant to this Article the cooperation and assistance necessary to enable them to conduct those audits in an effective, efficient and timely manner, including by giving them access to all relevant data and premises and by answering oral or written questions. They shall refrain from hampering, unduly influencing or undermining the performance of the audit.

Such audits shall ensure an adequate level of confidentiality and professional secrecy in respect of the information obtained from the providers of very large online_platforms and of very large online_search_engines and third parties in the context of the audits, including after the termination of the audits. However, complying with that requirement shall not adversely affect the performance of the audits and other provisions of this Regulation, in particular those on transparency, supervision and enforcement. Where necessary for the purpose of the transparency reporting pursuant to Article 42(4), the audit report and the audit implementation report referred to in paragraphs 4 and 6 of this Article shall be accompanied with versions that do not contain any information that could reasonably be considered to be confidential.

3.   Audits performed pursuant to paragraph 1 shall be performed by organisations which:

4.   Providers of very large online_platforms and of very large online_search_engines shall ensure that the organisations that perform the audits establish an audit report for each audit. That report shall be substantiated, in writing, and shall include at least the following:

5.   where the organisation performing the audit was unable to audit certain specific elements or to express an audit opinion based on its investigations, the audit report shall include an explanation of the circumstances and the reasons why those elements could not be audited.

6.   Providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines receiving an audit report that is not ‘positive’ shall take due account of the operational recommendations addressed to them with a view to take the necessary measures to implement them. They shall, within one month from receiving those recommendations, adopt an audit implementation report setting out those measures. Where they do not implement the operational recommendations, they shall justify in the audit implementation report the reasons for not doing so and set out any alternative measures that they have taken to address any instances of non-compliance identified.

7.   The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 87 to supplement this Regulation by laying down the necessary rules for the performance of the audits pursuant to this Article, in particular as regards the necessary rules on the procedural steps, auditing methodologies and reporting templates for the audits performed pursuant to this Article. Those delegated acts shall take into account any voluntary auditing standards referred to in Article 44(1), point (e).

1.   Providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines shall publish the reports referred to in Article 15 at the latest by two months from the date of application referred to in Article 33(6), second subparagraph, and thereafter at least every six months.

2.   The reports referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article published by providers of very large online_platforms shall, in addition to the information referred to in Article 15 and Article 24(1), specify:

The reports shall be published in at least one of the official languages of the Member States.

3.   In addition to the information referred to in Articles 24(2), the providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines shall include in the reports referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article the information on the average monthly recipients of the service for each Member State.

4.   Providers of very large online_platforms or of very large online_search_engines shall transmit to the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment and the Commission, without undue delay upon completion, and make publicly available at the latest three months after the receipt of each audit report pursuant to Article 37(4):

5.   where a provider of very large online_platform or of very large online_search_engine considers that the publication of information pursuant to paragraph 4 might result in the disclosure of confidential information of that provider or of the recipients of the service, cause significant vulnerabilities for the security of its service, undermine public security or harm recipients, the provider may remove such information from the publicly available reports. In that case, the provider shall transmit the complete reports to the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment and the Commission, accompanied by a statement of the reasons for removing the information from the publicly available reports.

1.   The Commission and the Board shall encourage and facilitate the drawing up of voluntary codes of conduct at Union level to contribute to the proper application of this Regulation, taking into account in particular the specific challenges of tackling different types of illegal_content and systemic risks, in accordance with Union law in particular on competition and the protection of personal data.

2.   where significant systemic risk within the meaning of Article 34(1) emerge and concern several very large online_platforms or very large online_search_engines, the Commission may invite the providers of very large online_platforms concerned or the providers of very large online_search_engines concerned, and other providers of very large online_platforms, of very large online_search_engines, of online_platforms and of other intermediary_services, as appropriate, as well as relevant competent authorities, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders, to participate in the drawing up of codes of conduct, including by setting out commitments to take specific risk mitigation measures, as well as a regular reporting framework on any measures taken and their outcomes.

3.   When giving effect to paragraphs 1 and 2, the Commission and the Board, and where relevant other bodies, shall aim to ensure that the codes of conduct clearly set out their specific objectives, contain key performance indicators to measure the achievement of those objectives and take due account of the needs and interests of all interested parties, and in particular citizens, at Union level. The Commission and the Board shall also aim to ensure that participants report regularly to the Commission and their respective Digital Services Coordinators of establishment on any measures taken and their outcomes, as measured against the key performance indicators that they contain. Key performance indicators and reporting commitments shall take into account differences in size and capacity between different participants.

4.   The Commission and the Board shall assess whether the codes of conduct meet the aims specified in paragraphs 1 and 3, and shall regularly monitor and evaluate the achievement of their objectives, having regard to the key performance indicators that they might contain. They shall publish their conclusions.

The Commission and the Board shall also encourage and facilitate regular review and adaptation of the codes of conduct.

In the case of systematic failure to comply with the codes of conduct, the Commission and the Board may invite the signatories to the codes of conduct to take the necessary action.

1.   where needed in order to carry out their tasks under this Regulation, Digital Services Coordinators shall have the following powers of investigation, in respect of conduct by providers of intermediary_services falling within the competence of their Member State:

2.   where needed for carrying out their tasks under this Regulation, Digital Services Coordinators shall have the following enforcement powers, in respect of providers of intermediary_services falling within the competence of their Member State:

As regards the first subparagraph, points (c) and (d), Digital Services Coordinators shall also have the enforcement powers set out in those points in respect of the other persons referred to in paragraph 1 for failure to comply with any of the orders issued to them pursuant to that paragraph. They shall only exercise those enforcement powers after providing those other persons in good time with all relevant information relating to such orders, including the applicable period, the fines or periodic payments that may be imposed for failure to comply and the possibilities for redress.

3.   where needed for carrying out their tasks under this Regulation, Digital Services Coordinators shall, in respect of providers of intermediary_services falling within the competence of their Member State, where all other powers pursuant to this Article to bring about the cessation of an infringement have been exhausted and the infringement has not been remedied or is continuing and is causing serious harm which cannot be avoided through the exercise of other powers available under Union or national law, also have the power to take the following measures:

The Digital Services Coordinator shall, except where it acts upon the Commission’s request referred to in Article 82, prior to submitting the request referred to in the first subparagraph, point (b), of this paragraph invite interested parties to submit written observations within a period that shall not be less than two weeks, describing the measures that it intends to request and identifying the intended addressee or addressees thereof. The provider of intermediary_services, the intended addressee or addressees and any other third party demonstrating a legitimate interest shall be entitled to participate in the proceedings before the competent judicial authority. Any measure ordered shall be proportionate to the nature, gravity, recurrence and duration of the infringement, without unduly restricting access to lawful information by recipients of the service concerned.

The restriction of access shall be for a period of four weeks, subject to the possibility for the competent judicial authority, in its order, to allow the Digital Services Coordinator to extend that period for further periods of the same lengths, subject to a maximum number of extensions set by that judicial authority. The Digital Services Coordinator shall only extend the period where, having regard to the rights and interests of all parties affected by that restriction and all relevant circumstances, including any information that the provider of intermediary_services, the addressee or addressees and any other third party that demonstrated a legitimate interest may provide to it, it considers that both of the following conditions have been met:

Where the Digital Services Coordinator considers that the conditions set out in the third subparagraph, points (a) and (b), have been met but it cannot further extend the period pursuant to the third subparagraph, it shall submit a new request to the competent judicial authority, as referred to in the first subparagraph, point (b).

4.   The powers listed in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall be without prejudice to Section 3.

5.   The measures taken by the Digital Services Coordinators in the exercise of their powers listed in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall be effective, dissuasive and proportionate, having regard, in particular, to the nature, gravity, recurrence and duration of the infringement or suspected infringement to which those measures relate, as well as the economic, technical and operational capacity of the provider of the intermediary_services concerned where relevant.

6.   Member States shall lay down specific rules and procedures for the exercise of the powers pursuant to paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 and shall ensure that any exercise of those powers is subject to adequate safeguards laid down in the applicable national law in compliance with the Charter and with the general principles of Union law. In particular, those measures shall only be taken in accordance with the right to respect for private life and the rights of defence, including the rights to be heard and of access to the file, and subject to the right to an effective judicial remedy of all affected parties.

1.   Digital Services Coordinators shall draw up annual reports on their activities under this Regulation, including the number of complaints received pursuant to Article 53 and an overview of their follow-up. The Digital Services Coordinators shall make the annual reports available to the public in a machine-readable format, subject to the applicable rules on the confidentiality of information pursuant to Article 84, and shall communicate them to the Commission and to the Board.

2.   The annual report shall also include the following information:

3.   where a Member State has designated several competent authorities pursuant to Article 49, it shall ensure that the Digital Services Coordinator draws up a single report covering the activities of all competent authorities and that the Digital Services Coordinator receives all relevant information and support needed to that effect from the other competent authorities concerned.

1.   The Member State in which the main establishment of the provider of intermediary_services is located shall have exclusive powers to supervise and enforce this Regulation, except for the powers provided for in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4.

2.   The Commission shall have exclusive powers to supervise and enforce Section 5 of Chapter III.

3.   The Commission shall have powers to supervise and enforce this Regulation, other than those laid down in Section 5 of Chapter III thereof, against providers of very large online_platforms and of very large online_search_engines.

4.   where the Commission has not initiated proceedings for the same infringement, the Member State in which the main establishment of the provider of very large online_platform or of very large online_search_engine is located shall have powers to supervise and enforce the obligations under this Regulation, other than those laid down in Section 5 of Chapter III, with respect to those providers.

5.   Member States and the Commission shall supervise and enforce the provisions of this Regulation in close cooperation.

6.   where a provider of intermediary_services does not have an establishment in the Union, the Member State where its legal representative resides or is established or the Commission shall have powers, as applicable, in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 4 of this Article, to supervise and enforce the relevant obligations under this Regulation.

7.   where a provider of intermediary_services fails to appoint a legal representative in accordance with Article 13, all Member States and, in case of a provider of a very large online_platform or very large online_search_engine, the Commission shall have powers to supervise and enforce in accordance with this Article.

Where a Digital Services Coordinator intends to exercise its powers under this paragraph, it shall notify all other Digital Services Coordinators and the Commission, and ensure that the applicable safeguards afforded by the Charter are respected, in particular to avoid that the same conduct is sanctioned more than once for the infringement of the obligations laid down in this Regulation. Where the Commission intends to exercise its powers under this paragraph, it shall notify all other Digital Services Coordinators of that intention. Following the notification pursuant to this paragraph, other Member States shall not initiate proceedings for the same infringement as that referred to in the notification.

1.   In the absence of a communication within the period laid down in Article 58(5), in the case of a disagreement of the Board with the assessment or the measures taken or envisaged pursuant to Article 58(5) or in the cases referred to in Article 60(3), the Board may refer the matter to the Commission, providing all relevant information. That information shall include at least the request or recommendation sent to the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment, the assessment by that Digital Services Coordinator, the reasons for the disagreement and any additional information supporting the referral.

2.   The Commission shall assess the matter within two months following the referral of the matter pursuant to paragraph 1, after having consulted the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment.

3.   where, pursuant to paragraph 2 of this Article, the Commission considers that the assessment or the investigatory or enforcement measures taken or envisaged pursuant to Article 58(5) are insufficient to ensure effective enforcement or otherwise incompatible with this Regulation, it shall communicate its views to the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment and the Board and request the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment to review the matter.

The Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment shall take the necessary investigatory or enforcement measures to ensure compliance with this Regulation, taking utmost account of the views and request for review by the Commission. The Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment shall inform the Commission, as well as the requesting Digital Services Coordinator or the Board that took action pursuant to Article 58(1) or (2), about the measures taken within two months from that request for review.

1.   where necessary to meet the objectives set out in Article 61(2), the Board shall in particular:

2.   Digital Services Coordinators and, where applicable, other competent authorities that do not follow the opinions, requests or recommendations addressed to them adopted by the Board shall provide the reasons for this choice, including an explanation on the investigations, actions and the measures that they have implemented, when reporting pursuant to this Regulation or when adopting their relevant decisions, as appropriate.

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:

1.   The Commission may initiate proceedings in view of the possible adoption of decisions pursuant to Articles 73 and 74 in respect of the relevant conduct by the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine that the Commission suspect of having infringed any of the provisions of this Regulation.

2.   where the Commission decides to initiate proceedings pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article, it shall notify all Digital Services Coordinators and the Board through the information sharing system referred to in Article 85, as well as the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned.

The Digital Services Coordinators shall, without undue delay after being informed of initiation of the proceedings, transmit to the Commission any information they hold about the infringement at stake.

The initiation of proceedings pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article by the Commission shall relieve the Digital Services Coordinator, or any competent authority where applicable, of its powers to supervise and enforce provided for in this Regulation pursuant to Article 56(4).

3.   In the exercise of its powers of investigation under this Regulation the Commission may request the individual or joint support of any Digital Services Coordinators concerned by the suspected infringement, including the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment. The Digital Services Coordinators that have received such a request, and, where involved by the Digital Services Coordinator, any other competent authority, shall cooperate sincerely and in a timely manner with the Commission and shall be entitled to exercise their investigative powers referred to in Article 51(1) in respect of the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine at stake, with regard to information, persons and premises located within the territory of their Member State and in accordance with the request.

4.   The Commission shall provide the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment and the Board with all relevant information about the exercise of the powers referred to in Articles 67 to 72 and its preliminary findings referred to in Article 79(1). The Board shall submit its views on those preliminary findings to the Commission within the period set pursuant to Article 79(2). The Commission shall take utmost account of any views of the Board in its decision.

1.   In order to carry out the tasks assigned to it under this Section, the Commission may, by simple request or by decision, require the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned, as well as any other natural or legal person acting for purposes related to their trade, business, craft or profession that may be reasonably aware of information relating to the suspected infringement, including organisations performing the audits referred to in Article 37 and Article 75(2), to provide such information within a reasonable period.

2.   When sending a simple request for information to the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned or other person referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, the Commission shall state the legal basis and the purpose of the request, specify what information is required and set the period within which the information is to be provided, and the fines provided for in Article 74 for supplying incorrect, incomplete or misleading information.

3.   where the Commission requires the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned or other person referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article to supply information by decision, it shall state the legal basis and the purpose of the request, specify what information is required and set the period within which it is to be provided. It shall also indicate the fines provided for in Article 74 and indicate or impose the periodic penalty payments provided for in Article 76. It shall further indicate the right to have the decision reviewed by the Court of Justice of the European Union.

4.   The providers of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned or other person referred to in paragraph 1 or their representatives and, in the case of legal persons, companies or firms, or where they have no legal personality, the persons authorised to represent them by law or by their constitution shall supply the information requested on behalf of the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned or other person referred to in paragraph 1. Lawyers duly authorised to act may supply the information on behalf of their clients. The latter shall remain fully responsible if the information supplied is incomplete, incorrect or misleading.

5.   At the request of the Commission, the Digital Services Coordinators and other competent authorities shall provide the Commission with all necessary information to carry out the tasks assigned to it under this Section.

6.   The Commission shall, without undue delay after sending the simple request or the decision referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, send a copy thereof to the Digital Services Coordinators, through the information sharing system referred to in Article 85.

1.   In order to carry out the tasks assigned to it under this Section, the Commission may conduct all necessary inspections at the premises of the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned or of another person referred to in Article 67(1).

2.   The officials and other accompanying persons authorised by the Commission to conduct an inspection shall be empowered to:

3.   Inspections may be carried out with the assistance of auditors or experts appointed by the Commission pursuant to Article 72(2), and of Digital Services Coordinator or other competent national authorities of the Member State in the territory of which the inspection is conducted.

4.   where the production of required books or other records related to the provision of the service concerned is incomplete or where the answers to questions asked under paragraph 2 of this Article are incorrect, incomplete or misleading, 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 penalties provided for in Articles 74 and 76. In good time before the inspection, the Commission shall inform the Digital Services Coordinator of the Member State in the territory in which the inspection is to be conducted thereof.

5.   During inspections, the officials and other accompanying persons authorised by the Commission, the auditors and experts appointed by the Commission, the Digital Services Coordinator or the other competent authorities of the Member State in the territory of which the inspection is conducted may require the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine or other person concerned to provide explanations on its organisation, functioning, IT system, algorithms, data-handling and business conducts, and may address questions to its key personnel.

6.   The provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine or other natural or legal person concerned shall be required to submit to an inspection ordered by decision of the Commission. The decision shall specify the subject matter and purpose of the inspection, set the date on which it is to begin and indicate the penalties provided for in Articles 74 and 76 and the right to have the decision reviewed by the Court of Justice of the European Union. The Commission shall consult the Digital Services Coordinator of the Member State on territory of which the inspection is to be conducted prior to taking that decision.

7.   Officials of, and other persons authorised or appointed by, the Digital Services Coordinator of the Member State on the territory of which the inspection is to be conducted shall, at the request of that Digital Services Coordinator or of the Commission, actively assist the officials and other accompanying persons authorised by the Commission in relation to the inspection. To this end, they shall have the powers listed in paragraph 2.

8.   where the officials and other accompanying persons authorised by the Commission find that the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine or the other person concerned opposes an inspection ordered pursuant to this Article, the Member State in the territory of which the inspection is to be conducted shall, at the request of those officials or other accompanying persons and in accordance with the national law of the Member State, afford them necessary assistance, including, where appropriate under that national law, in the form of coercive measures taken by a competent law enforcement authority, so as to enable them to conduct the inspection.

9.   If the assistance provided for in paragraph 8 requires authorisation from a national judicial authority in accordance with the national law of the Member State concerned, such authorisation shall be applied for by the Digital Services Coordinator of that Member State at the request of the officials and other accompanying persons authorised by the Commission. Such authorisation may also be applied for as a precautionary measure.

10.   where the authorisation referred to in paragraph 9 is applied for, the national judicial authority before which a case has been brought shall verify that the Commission decision ordering the inspection is authentic and that the coercive measures envisaged are neither arbitrary nor excessive having regard to the subject matter of the inspection. When conducting such verification, the national judicial authority may ask the Commission, directly or through the Digital Services Coordinators of the Member State concerned, for detailed explanations, in particular those concerning the grounds on which the Commission suspects an infringement of this Regulation, concerning the seriousness of the suspected infringement and concerning the nature of the involvement of the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine or of the other person concerned. However, the national judicial authority shall not call into question the necessity for the inspection nor demand information from the case file of the Commission. The lawfulness of the Commission decision shall be subject to review only by the Court of Justice of the European Union.

1.   If, during proceedings under this Section, the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned offers commitments to ensure compliance with the relevant provisions of this Regulation, the Commission may by decision make those commitments binding on the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned and declare that there are no further grounds for action.

2.   The Commission may, upon request or on its own initiative, reopen the proceedings:

3.   where the Commission considers that the commitments offered by the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned are unable to ensure effective compliance with the relevant provisions of this Regulation, it shall reject those commitments in a reasoned decision when concluding the proceedings.

1.   The Commission shall adopt a non-compliance decision where it finds that the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned does not comply with one or more of the following:

2.   Before adopting the decision pursuant to paragraph 1, the Commission shall communicate its preliminary findings to the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned. In the preliminary findings, the Commission shall explain the measures that it considers taking, or that it considers that the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned should take, in order to effectively address the preliminary findings.

3.   In the decision adopted pursuant to paragraph 1 the Commission shall order the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned to take the necessary measures to ensure compliance with the decision pursuant to paragraph 1 within a reasonable period specified therein and to provide information on the measures that that provider intends to take to comply with the decision.

4.   The provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned shall provide the Commission with a description of the measures it has taken to ensure compliance with the decision pursuant to paragraph 1 upon their implementation.

5.   where the Commission finds that the conditions of paragraph 1 are not met, it shall close the investigation by a decision. The decision shall apply with immediate effect.

1.   The Commission may adopt a decision, imposing on the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned or other person referred to in Article 67(1), as applicable, periodic penalty payments not exceeding 5 % of the average daily income or worldwide annual turnover in the preceding financial year per day, calculated from the date appointed by the decision, in order to compel them to:

2.   where the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned or other person referred to in Article 67(1) has satisfied the obligation which the periodic penalty payment was intended to enforce, the Commission may fix the definitive amount of the periodic penalty payment at a figure lower than that under the original decision.

1.   where all powers pursuant to this Section to bring about the cessation of an infringement of this Regulation have been exhausted, the infringement persists and causes serious harm which cannot be avoided through the exercise of other powers available under Union or national law, the Commission may request the Digital_Services_Coordinator_of_establishment of the provider of the very large online_platform or of the very large online_search_engine concerned to act pursuant to Article 51(3).

Prior to making such request to the Digital Services Coordinator, the Commission shall invite interested parties to submit written observations within a period that shall not be less than 14 working days, describing the measures it intends to request and identifying the intended addressee or addressees thereof.

2.   where the coherent application of this Regulation so requires, the Commission, acting on its own initiative, may submit written observations to the competent judicial authority referred to Article 51(3). With the permission of the judicial authority in question, it may also make oral observations.

For the purpose of the preparation of its observations only, the Commission may request that judicial authority to transmit or ensure the transmission to it of any documents necessary for the assessment of the case.

3.   When a national court rules on a matter which is already the subject matter of a decision adopted by the Commission under this Regulation, that national court shall not take any decision which runs counter to that Commission decision. National courts shall also avoid taking decisions which could conflict with a decision contemplated by the Commission in proceedings it has initiated under this Regulation. To that effect, a national court may assess whether it is necessary to stay its proceedings. This is without prejudice to Article 267 TFEU.

1.   The Commission shall be assisted by a committee (‘the Digital Services Committee’). That Committee shall be a Committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.

2.   where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply.

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:

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:

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.