European Commission Takes Action Against Six EU States Over Digital Services Act Compliance

The European Commission has launched infringement procedures against Belgium, Spain, Croatia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Sweden for failing to comply with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). In a press release dated July 26, the Commission highlighted that these countries have either not appointed the required Digital Services Coordinators or have not empowered these officials adequately to enforce the DSA, which is a critical law for content moderation across the EU. Digital Services Coordinators are tasked with monitoring online platforms, addressing user complaints, and ensuring compliance with the DSA within their respective jurisdictions. The Commission had set a deadline of February 17 for these countries to appoint the necessary authorities. Following the formal notice, the member states now have two months to rectify the identified issues. Should they fail to respond satisfactorily, the Commission may escalate the matter by issuing reasoned opinions. This situation is not unprecedented, as concerns regarding the timely appointment of Digital Services Coordinators have been raised before. In January, it was anticipated that several countries would miss the deadline, and by early February, only Hungary, Italy, and Spain had successfully appointed their Coordinators. The DSA categorizes platforms with over 45 million monthly users in the EU as very large online platforms (VLOPS), which includes major social media networks and e-commerce sites.