European Commission Declares Digital Markets Act a Success After Two-Year Review
Brussels, Tuesday, 28 April 2026.
The European Commission’s first comprehensive review reveals the Digital Markets Act has successfully transformed digital competition in just two years. Users can now transfer data between services, choose alternative browsers and search engines, and prevent unauthorized data profiling across platforms. The legislation has opened gatekeeper ecosystems, enabling device manufacturers to access enhanced interoperability and spurring the launch of alternative app stores and messaging services.
Tangible Benefits for European Digital Users
The Commission’s review, completed in April 2026, demonstrates that the DMA has delivered concrete advantages to European consumers in its first two operational years since March 2024 [1]. The legislation has provided Europeans with the ability to transfer their data when switching between services and devices, offering genuine portability that was previously restricted by platform lock-in effects [1]. Users now enjoy the choice to select alternative search engines and web browsers instead of being forced to use default providers, fundamentally altering how Europeans interact with digital services [1]. Perhaps most significantly, the DMA has given users meaningful choice about whether to allow gatekeepers to combine their personal data across services, preventing unauthorized profiling that had become commonplace in the pre-regulation era [1].
Opening Gatekeeper Ecosystems for Business Competition
The regulatory framework has successfully dismantled previously closed digital ecosystems, creating new opportunities for businesses and developers across Europe [1]. Manufacturers of connected devices, including earphones and smartwatches, are now gaining access to enhanced interoperability with gatekeeper operating systems, breaking down technical barriers that had historically favored integrated platforms [1]. Alternative browsers and search engines are being increasingly chosen by users as defaults on their devices, representing a measurable shift in market dynamics [1]. The opening of operating systems to third-party app stores has enabled alternative app distribution channels to launch, while new messaging apps have emerged thanks to interoperability obligations imposed on major platforms [1]. These changes represent a fundamental restructuring of how digital services compete in the European market.
Regulatory Framework and Enforcement Structure
The DMA’s effectiveness stems from its comprehensive regulatory architecture targeting companies designated as ‘gatekeepers’ based on specific quantitative criteria [2]. The legislation applies to platforms with annual turnover of at least €7.5 billion in the European Economic Area for each of the last three financial years, or market capitalization of at least €75 billion in the last financial year [2]. These companies must also demonstrate more than 45 million monthly active users and more than 10,000 yearly active business users in the EU, with the user criterion maintained for at least three consecutive financial years [2]. As of September 6, 2023, six companies were designated as gatekeepers: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta, and Microsoft [2]. The designated gatekeepers faced a compliance deadline of March 6, 2024, requiring them to submit comprehensive compliance reports within six months of designation [2].
Industry Concerns and Regulatory Challenges
Despite the Commission’s positive assessment, industry representatives have raised concerns about the DMA’s implementation and impact on innovation [6]. The Computer & Communications Industry Association Europe has warned that compliance has become a ‘guessing game’ due to shifting regulatory expectations and requirements, potentially undermining legal certainty and market efficiency [6]. Maria Teresa Stecher, CCIA Europe’s Senior Policy Manager, emphasized that ‘the question is no longer whether the EU can regulate digital markets, but whether it can do so in a way that delivers tangible benefits for consumers, businesses, and innovation’ [6]. The organization has cited procedural shortcomings including limited transparency in third-party consultations and compressed timelines giving businesses only weeks to respond to complex technical demands [6]. A survey referenced from September 2025 indicated that a majority of EU users reported a worse online experience under the DMA, highlighting tensions between regulatory compliance and maintaining user security and consumer protections [6]. Daniel Friedlaender, CCIA Europe’s Senior Vice President, has urged the Commission to conduct ‘a truly impartial review of the Digital Markets Act, one that takes seriously the reported procedural shortcomings, degraded consumer experience, and market frictions’ [6].