20/02/2019 (Agence Europe) – The Member States' ambassadors to the EU (Coreper) on Wednesday 20 February validated the provisional agreement reached with Parliament on fairness and transparency for professional users of online intermediation services (see EUROPE 12194). The main objective of the Regulation is to establish a legal framework that guarantees transparent conditions for professional users of online platforms, as well as effective possibilities for redress when these conditions are not respected. The compromise reached is based on a gentle approach. Contrary to what the European Parliament wanted, the final text does not include operating system software in its scope. Nor does it prohibit a platform from promoting its own services and does not include an anti-circumvention clause. The new rules will apply 12 months after their adoption and will be reviewed within 18 months to ensure that they keep pace with market developments. (SPj)