Parliament debates on its position on the Digital Markets Act, which sets rules on what big online platforms will be allowed to do and not do in the EU. opening statements by Andreas SCHWAB (EPP, DE), rapporteur, Stéphanie YON-COURTIN (Renew, FR), ECON Committee, Carlos ZORRINHO (S&D, PT), ITRE Committee, Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission and by Thierry BRETON European Commissioner for Internal Market. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

SCHWAB, Andreas (EPP, DE)

VESTAGER, Margrethe (DK, CE)

BRETON, Thierry (FR, EC)

digital services act (T)

Digital Markets Act: opening statements by Andreas SCHWAB (EPP, DE), rapporteur, Stéphanie YON-COURTIN (Renew, FR), Carlos ZORRINHO (S&D, PT), Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive VP of the EU Commission and by Thierry BRETON, Commissioner for the Internal

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/3373802/I215467Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (German), Andreas SCHWAB (EPP, DE), Rapporteur, President, vice president, colleagues, commissioner. We are sending out a clear signal today. With this Digital Markets Act (DMA), we are guaranteeing that in the time of digital communications, the internal market and the same rules and a level playing field will prevail. Access to markets for smaller enterprises so that the best rather than the fattest should win is going to be ensured for the future, thanks to this act. And especially ex-ante.

SOUNDBITE (German), Andreas SCHWAB (EPP, DE), Rapporteur, So instead of following after exposed, the commission will be able to give a green light if there are new models for business being bought onto the market by the larger platforms. So we want to ensure that we give room for smaller companies. We want to be sure that all citizens can avail themselves of developments, technological developments.

SOUNDBITE (German), Andreas SCHWAB (EPP, DE), Rapporteur, That's why web browsers have been included in the scope as well as virtual assistants, but also, ladies and gentlemen, the so-called killer acquisitions will be reviewed and examined, especially when thresholds have not been complied with. We don't want people to be able to buy out the market.

SOUNDBITE (German), Andreas SCHWAB (EPP, DE), Rapporteur, We want to ensure that enterprises and undertakings can prevail along them on the market with innovative ideas. Now this act provides for the commission working together with the national authorities, working on rules and compliance. We want to see enforcement throughout Europe under the remit of the European Commission. So Commissioner and President, the expectations in this area are huge.

SOUNDBITE (German), Andreas SCHWAB (EPP, DE), Rapporteur, So you have a certain amount of leeway and but you have, of course, our full support in your powers and your authorities. So at this point, I would like to thank all those colleagues who have helped with their contributions and help us to reach compromises, the rapporteurs and the ECON and industry authors of opinions, and also all the people who are involved in this in the committees.

SOUNDBITE (German), Andreas SCHWAB (EPP, DE), Rapporteur, All the staff have helped us to reach this point today, where we have a Digital Markets Act that was voted much more quickly through the parliament than it was in the council. Now in interoperability, we want to move forward with messenger services and social media as well without jeopardising cybersecurity or data protection.

SOUNDBITE (German), Andreas SCHWAB (EPP, DE), Rapporteur, Now we want to strengthen our protection of personal data, and this will also impact on advertising. Over a thousand amendments were tabled by members of this parliament, which have brought us to this result, and we are happy and sure that we will be able to work with the council in order to implement what we have been working on and decided on.

SOUNDBITE (German), Andreas SCHWAB (EPP, DE), Rapporteur, So in January, with the French Presidency, we will be entering into discussions and if we continue as we have been, we will be able to meet the expectations of our citizens in Europe and we will be able to see acceptance by our citizens of the digital market. And this will also make sure that fair competition becomes a concept that we can export from Europe to the rest of the world, aiming at fairness and justice on our markets.

SOUNDBITE (German), Andreas SCHWAB (EPP, DE), Rapporteur, So at this point, I would like to wish everybody a happy Christmas, and I look forward to seeing you all next year and hopefully we will manage to achieve the goals that we have set ourselves. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (French), Stéphanie YON-COURTIN (Renew,FR), ECON Committee, Thank you, president, vice-president, commissioner, colleagues. 11 years elapsed since the decision taken by the ECJ regarding Google and others relative to the dominant position. It took us 12 months to come up with one of the greatest regulations, one of the largest regulations dealing with the digital giants.

SOUNDBITE (French), Stéphanie YON-COURTIN (Renew,FR), ECON Committee, So we will be able to deal with our competition rights, which are too slow. We are our law has become obsolete. We've really got to combat the tentacles of all these giants. What we depend on their decisions. We depend on their access to the market. We depend on their rules of the game. Now all of that is over now.

SOUNDBITE (French), Stéphanie YON-COURTIN (Renew,FR), ECON Committee, We're going to get the European Commission the means to prevent rather than cure with a very clear list of obligations and bans. And we're going to establish the rules right from the outset. We won't have to fight for years against armies of lawyers. So the innovative ability of our continent isn't whittled down to five companies, acknowledge isn't the monopoly of a few private companies.

SOUNDBITE (French), Stéphanie YON-COURTIN (Renew,FR), ECON Committee, We have start-ups they can have other objectives, too, if they don't want to be bought over by five American companies. So faced with these data brokers, let's reorganise our resources. Let's think of a way of using our data, and let's show the example to the other countries in the world. Let's remain digital pioneers.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Carlos ZORRINHO (S&D,PT), ITRE Committee, President, commissioner. I have said that we need a digital approach to the digital market and focussing on the best services. And that will allow us to create a global digital market, one that is better inspired by our values that we can strengthen as Europeans, our strength as Europeans will be to contribute towards a fairer and more sustainable position.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Carlos ZORRINHO (S&D,PT), ITRE Committee, I'd like to thank the shadows from the ITRE committee, who worked with commitment, who allowed a good level of dialogue and have meant that we were able to vote with 103 votes in favour and only one abstention on this report that we have today. We are able to safeguard the role of businesses and create a regulatory framework that will be equal for all will be to the benefit of consumers.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Carlos ZORRINHO (S&D,PT), ITRE Committee, And that's what's important here. Interoperability is also important, as well as access to data to allow proper communication. That's what inspired our work and helped us to work together under Article 7. The work wasn't easy, but we've achieved good results and it will help us be a good basis for negotiations with the Council.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Carlos ZORRINHO (S&D, PT), ITRE Committee, We want to be constructive and to focus on streamlining and simplifying legislation to ensure that we can meet our objectives. This is a step forward in the digital transition, and Europe's principles and values will remain anchored in this. We want to be more fair, more inclusive and more sustainable. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Dear president, honourable members, I have been looking very much forward to stand here today and this plenary debate. It is it is a landmark today that we have gotten to here within this very short timeframe. And I would very much like to thank Andreas Schwab, Stephanie Yon-Courtin who just had the floor. And, of course, to shadow rapporteurs and all the members who have worked intensively on this proposal.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, It is your determination is your commitment is the debates in a number of really important questions that has led us to where we are today. And I think every voter who has followed this debate and who will follow the trialogue will see that the parliament is putting action to words.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Now you have a compromise in front of you, reflecting the intensity and the breadth of your debates, and today's debate follows the unanimous general approach by Council. I hope that acknowledges the solidity and robustness of the Commission proposal and a successful vote tomorrow after hopefully an intense debate today means that trialogues can begin.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, It is a landmark proposal, and we can begin trialogues, hopefully within a year from the time that it was tabled. And I think that lives up to the expectation of taking action and taking speedily action. Of course, it's a complex proposal, but it has a very simple aim to make sure that markets are open and fair are contestable so that every business have a fair chance of making it to the customers.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, And unfortunately, as you will know from our competition cases, this is not necessarily the case today. So I would like to add just one more thing, and that is that I hope that speed is reflected. Also when it comes to our second landmark proposal that Into Services Act.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, I know the work that has gone into it. I know the debates that you're having. I know how tricky it has been. So I hope that soon we can also start the trialogues on that proposal. On that, I will eagerly listen to the debate to you today. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (French), Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market, President, ladies and gentlemen, rapporteurs and shadow rapporteurs, honourable members, I am very happy to be able to attend this debate and to be part of this debate indeed on the DMA and this practically a year, nearly to the very day after the commission issued its proposal.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Now your work has just been mentioned just now you you've put a lot of work into this with great determination, and this is indicative of the great wit of the three EU institutions to reach a political agreement and to adopt this provision as soon as possible. And I would like to thank the rapporteur, Andreas Schwab, Stephanie Yon-Courtin, as well as all the shadow rapporteurs.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, I can only reiterate the importance of forging ahead quickly. We cannot wait to organise the digital space, and Europe is moving ahead, forging ahead and is in the forefront now. Platforms have controlled our markets and start ups and our innovative companies, and they've reduced our choice for our citizens and therefore the practise of abusive behaviour.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, The system we use for the time being for controlling this type of behaviour is no longer sufficient. This is why we need an innovative internal market organisation, which works ex ante. Now with the DMA would be introducing a number of innovative factors. We have a gatekeeper platform and obviously a company will be examined from the point of view its turnover and its users, but also its market value.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Because yes, this is an important parameter in the imbalance which we have to see, and the innovative factors will mean that it would be established ex-ante to stop any abuse of the data of users by gatekeepers. Now with the DMA, with the DSA, they are a part of the same entity which has to do with regulating the digital market.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Europe will be taking leadership in terms of the digital space. Of course, we've heard criticism from the other side of the Atlantic regarding our approach. Despite attempts to align things, particularly with regard to the TTC, which turned out to be not particularly fruitful, at least at this stage, but our legislation is not against any particular company or against any particular country.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, It's there to preserve the proper functioning of the internal market. And I'd like to pay tribute to Parliament and Council who, despite the lobbies which we all were able to see, have managed to keep 100 percent of the DMA. And I hope that you will be able to prove that by voting like this. And I would like to thank everybody once again. Thank you very much.