The Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU will be organising a political debate on platform to business relations (P2B) during the Competitiveness Council on Monday 28 May.
In this context, it is publishing a discussion paper that asks European ministers about the need for action and the added value of a stages approach. It should be recalled that on 26 April, the European Commission presented a draft regulation compelling digital intermediary platforms and search engines to show transparency about collation settings and conditions for use (also for putting an end to referencing). It is also suggesting that possibilities for appealing by companies that have suffered damages, are improved (see EUROPE 12010).
The Bulgarian paper highlights that neither competition nor consumer law effectively protect a company that has suffered damages provoked by intermediation services. It asks ministers about the need to improve predictability and transparency in order to promote trust in the online platforms economy.
The Bulgarian Presidency is also asking member states whether they support the Commission's stages approach that consists of the subsequent engagement of the European Observatory on the online platform economy to consider more targeted measures then those included in the text.
The Bulgarian paper adds “The independent expert group, which will be at the core of this Observatory, is expected to start its work before this summer” and subsequently concludes that “This monitoring effort will contribute evidence to the review of the proposed Regulation three years after its adoption”.
For further information: https://bit.ly/2rKg7pu . (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)