European Commission says Digital Markets Act enters more difficult enforcement phase

The European Commission has released its third annual report on implementation of the Digital Markets Act, outlining enforcement developments and ongoing investigations involving major digital platforms.

The report reviews progress in open DMA proceedings and highlights several cases that resulted in formal non-compliance decisions and financial penalties.

According to the Commission, two investigations concluded with fines linked to anti-steering practices and restrictions affecting how consumers can control the use of their personal data.

The report also points to interoperability measures adopted during 2025. The Commission established conditions for interoperability between certain gatekeeper platforms and connected devices such as smartwatches and wearable technologies, closing two specification proceedings launched in 2024.

Another major focus is cloud computing.

The Commission opened three market investigations related to the cloud sector. Two examine whether specific cloud computing services should be formally designated as gatekeepers under the DMA. A third investigates whether the regulation is effectively supporting fairness and competitiveness in cloud markets.

In parallel, the Commission also launched a non-compliance investigation into alleged demotion of media publishers’ content in search results.

The report shows how the DMA’s scope is moving beyond app stores and mobile ecosystems into infrastructure and information visibility questions. Cloud services, connected devices, and search ranking practices are becoming increasingly central to how the Commission interprets platform power under the regulation.