The European bubble is officially back to work and looks to have quite a hectic fall. In today’s edition of MADE IN EU, we will review everything that keeps policymakers busy until December.

It’s D-Day for DMA, says Breton

The return to the office comes with a headache for the big tech. In a pivotal moment for the tech industry, European Commissioner Breton revealed (in a very stylish tweet) its list of digital “gatekeepers” subject to the regulations of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Not surprising — no European company is on the list. The listed companies are Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Microsoft, Bytedance, and Meta.

This announcement marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts of the EU to assert its regulatory authority over Big Tech. Before the unveiling, Commissioner Thierry Breton emphasised that the DMA aims to provide consumers with more choice and foster opportunities for smaller, more innovative tech companies.

Under the new DMA rules, tech giants designated as gatekeepers — those with substantial control over how businesses interact with end-users — will be burdened with new obligations. These obligations include ensuring consumers can easily unsubscribe from core platform services. Breton has stressed that non-compliance will be met with “heavy sanctions,” though companies have until March 2024 to align with the regulation. While gatekeepers have a limited avenue to challenge their designation, the Commission has set strict criteria for such challenges, reserving them for “exceptional” circumstances. It’s worth noting that the DMA’s implications are not confined to Europe alone, as its influence is expected to reverberate globally, with some countries, including the United Kingdom, already crafting their tech regulations.

On another note, the European competition chief Margrethe Vestager has announced her leave from the Commission as she vies for the European Investment Bank (EIB) president position. Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders will temporarily assume the Competition Chair role in her absence. Vestager is one of the four commissioners who stepped down this term and the second Vice President stepping down after Frank Timmermans. If we don’t know what this EU Commission will be remembered for, we will surely remember these (negative) records.

EU Council is on to a hectic agenda (and little time)

The COREPER II ambassadors are back in action with a scheduled meeting. Although the meeting is expected to be relatively short, the agenda is substantial, spanning five pages. Essential items on their desks include discussions on the migration from Northern Africa and solidarity lanes for Ukrainian grain. These are contentious subjects, and, as reported by Politico, the European Commission is preparing to engage with diplomats from the five EU countries that have expressed concerns about an influx of Ukrainian grain. Following a prior Home Affairs meeting, the ambassadors will also receive an update from the Spanish presidency regarding the migration file, explicitly focusing on crisis management. And all of this in a five-hour meeting.

In fact, the COREPER I will hold a meeting simultaneously with a busy agenda: the Presidency will debrief ambassadors on the nature restoration regulation, regulation on methane emissions, and energy performance of buildings Directive. It will be a hot fall for the ambassadors.

One last push at the EP

Last but not least, MEPs are settling in the offices one more time during this parliamentary term with two pressing issues on the agenda: next year’s elections and closing the most urgent files.

According to Politico, before the term’s end, legislators want to close the Pharma package with a scheduled date for voting on the entire package at the ENVI Committee on 7 March 2024. A very short-timed plan to approve the entire package and start negotiations with the Council and Commission by June 2024.

Pharmaceutical proposal won’t be the only legislative package that keeps the Parliament busy this fall. On this session’s agenda are the reports on the integration progress of the EU candidates, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, the reform of the single market, and the review of the Digital Payment Directive, just to mention the most pressing issues. If we remember the drama over the restoration law, we can expect an electric fall season in the Parliament.

And finally, let’s not forget that elections in Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, and Switzerland are all scheduled until the year’s end. All of these, for different reasons, will shape the future of Europe.

It will be a jam-packed autumn for the EU institutions and, especially, policymakers. From where we are right now, it could completely change the future of the block as we know it. Enjoy the show!