On Thursday 18 January, the European Commission sent requests for information to 17 very large online platforms and search engines asking them about the measures they have implemented to comply with the obligation to give eligible researchers access, without undue delay, to data that is publicly accessible on their online interface, in accordance with the provisions of the DSA (see EUROPE 13318/8).
Companies such as AliExpress, Amazon Store, App Store, Bing, Booking.com, Facebook, Google’s Search, Play, Maps and Shopping services, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube and Zalando will all have to respond by 9 February.
If these responses fail to convince the Commission, it could then decide to open proceedings that could result in sanctions of up to 6% of the company’s worldwide turnover.
On several occasions, the European Commission has already sent requests for information to companies designated as very large online platforms or very large search engines.
On 14 December 2023, the Commission questioned Google and Apple on how the two companies had “diligently” identified systemic risks concerning the App Store and Google Play services (see EUROPE 13314/41). Requests for information have also been sent in recent months to X (formerly Twitter), Meta and TikTok (see EUROPE 13275/4) and AliExpress (see EUROPE 13286/8). (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)