targeting Google, Amazon.com, Apple, Meta Platforms and Microsoft are likely to set a global benchmark and may even force changes in the tech giants’ business models, lawyers and experts said.
Vestager’s switch to legislation came amid frustration over slow-moving antitrust investigations that deliver remedies criticised by rivals as inadequate, with Google often cited as an example despite being hit with more than €8-billion in fines. “I think the DMA indirectly places a premium on business models based on subscriptions or device-level monetisation. We might see more [increased] prices, and vertical integration into hardware in the future,” he said.Still, enforcing the DMA will require a bigger team than the small group planned by the European Commission, said Thomas Vinje, a partner at law firm Clifford Chance in Brussels who has advised rivals in cases against Microsoft, Google and Apple.
The DMA is just the first step towards making sure that tech giants play fair, said Alec Burnside, a partner at law firm Dechert in Brussels.