Under the DSA, Amazon is characterized as a large online platform, and the tech giant considers this unjustified.
According to Reuters sources, Amazon has filed a protest with the European General Court in Luxembourg against its designation as a very large online platform (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act (DSA). According to the tech company, the VLOP designation is unjustified because Amazon would not pose systemic risks to users.
VLOPs Subject to Stricter Rules
The DSA requires VLOPs to implement stricter measures, such as proactive risk management, increased transparency about algorithms, cooperation with regulators, and independent audits. The European Commission previously placed Amazon on this list, along with Meta and TikTok, among others.
Amazon: ‘not Applicable to Marketplaces’
Amazon argues that the VLOP rules apply to platforms that influence societal debate or information dissemination, such as social media. Online marketplaces should not be included. According to Amazon lawyer Robert Spano, “size does not determine the risk” and any problems are limited to individual customers, which are already covered by existing product legislation.
Other companies, including Meta, TikTok, and Zalando, have also raised objections to the DSA. The European General Court will rule on the case T-367/23 – Amazon EU v Commission within a few months.