The European Commission has taken legal action against Czechia, Cyprus, Poland, Portugal, and Spain over the Digital Services Act (DSA). These countries failed to give their national watchdogs the proper powers to enforce the DSA rules, the Commission announced on Wednesday.
The DSA, which became fully applicable in February 2024, is meant to protect users from illegal online content and dangerous products. Each EU country was required to appoint a national regulator to monitor these rules and work closely with the Commission.
While all five countries appointed a regulator, only Poland failed to do so on time, and did not give it legal power. The Commission also found that Czechia, Cyprus, Portugal, and Spain gave their regulators limited authority, making enforcement difficult.
The European Commission began warning the five countries earlier this year but says they have not corrected their actions. The matter is now with the EU’s highest court.
In a related case, the Commission warned Bulgaria it could face similar legal action. Bulgaria also failed to empower its national regulator and did not set rules for punishing DSA violations. If it does not act within two months, the Commission may also take Bulgaria to court.
The DSA already applies to very large platforms like X, TikTok, and Meta. The Commission has launched several investigations into these companies but has not yet reached any conclusions.
The legal action highlights the EU’s firm stance on enforcing digital safety and holding member states accountable.
Photo: By Luxofluxo – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76261515
