In 2015, the Commission launched the Digital Single Market strategy. One of its key goals is to Ensure better access for consumers and businesses to goods and services via e-commerce across the EU. At the beginning of her tenure in December 2019, President von der Leyen stressed the need for the Commission to lead the transition to create 'A Europe fit for the digital age'.
Information and Communication Technology and the internet permeate the European economy, thanks to the increased use of broadband applications and services, together with the spread of wireless devices including smartphones, other smart devices, and their applications. In 2022 the Commission adopted the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which became applicable on 2 May 2023. The DMA is the EU's law to make the markets in the digital sector fairer and more contestable. The DMA establishes a set of clearly defined objective criteria to identify “gatekeepers”. Gatekeepers are large digital platforms providing so called core platform services, such as online search engines, app stores, messenger services. Gatekeepers will have to comply with the do’s (i.e. obligations) and don’ts (i.e. prohibitions) listed in the DMA.
The media sector, encompassing films, television broadcasting, music, publishing, gaming and related advertising, plays a vital role in the continued advancement of information and communication technologies, as well as in the development and preservation of culture, information, education and democracy. In recent years, the media sector has been characterised by technological convergence, with the various types of devices and networks used to deliver content to viewers becoming more and more integrated. This continued technological innovation has created cross-border opportunities, led to the emergence of new business models and new business operators and at times posed challenges to established business practices.