CHAPTER III - Due Diligence Obligations for a transparent and safe online environment (Art. 11 - 48)
- Section 1 – Provisions applicable to all providers of intermediary services
- Article 11 – Points of contact for Member States’ authorities, the Commission and the Board
- Article 12 – Points of contact for recipients of the service
- Article 13 – Legal representatives
- Article 14 – Terms and conditions
- Article 15 – Transparency reporting obligations for providers of intermediary services
- Section 2 – Additional provisions applicable to providers of hosting services, including online platforms
- Article 16 – Notice and action mechanisms
- Article 17 – Statement of reasons
- Article 18 – Notification of suspicions of criminal offences
- Section 3 – Additional provisions applicable to providers of online platforms
- Article 19 – Exclusion for micro and small enterprises
- Article 20 – Internal complaint-handling system
- Article 21 – Out-of-court dispute settlement
- Article 22 – Trusted flaggers
- Article 23 – Measures and protection against misuse
- Article 24 – Transparency reporting obligations for providers of online platforms
- Article 25 – Online interface design and organisation
- Article 26 – Advertising on online platforms
- Article 27 – Recommender system transparency
- Article 28 – Online protection of minors
- Section 4 – Additional provisions applicable to providers of online platforms allowing consumers to conclude distance contracts with traders
- Article 29 – Exclusion for micro and small enterprises
- Article 30 – Traceability of traders
- Article 31 – Compliance by design
- Article 32 – Right to information
- Section 5 – Additional obligations for providers of very large online platforms and of very large online search engines to manage systemic risks
- Article 33 – Very large online platforms and very large online search engines
- Article 34 – Risk assessment
- Article 35 – Mitigation of risks
- Article 36 – Crisis response mechanism
- Article 37 – Independent audit
- Article 38 – Recommender systems
- Article 39 – Additional online advertising transparency
- Article 40 – Data access and scrutiny
- Article 41 – Compliance function
- Article 42 – Transparency reporting obligations
- Article 43 – Supervisory fee
- Section 6 – Other provisions concerning due diligence obligations
- Article 44 – Standards
- Article 45 – Codes of conduct
- Article 46 – Codes of conduct for online advertising
- Article 47 – Codes of conduct for accessibility
- Article 48 – Crisis protocols
- Section 1 – Competent authorities and national Digital Services Coordinators
- Article 49 – Competent authorities and Digital Services Coordinators
- Article 50 – Requirements for Digital Services Coordinators
- Article 51 – Powers of Digital Services Coordinators
- Article 52 – Penalties
- Article 53 – Right to lodge a complaint
- Article 54 – Compensation
- Article 55 – Activity reports
- Section 2 – Competences, coordinated investigation and consistency mechanisms
- Article 56 – Competences
- Article 57 – Mutual assistance
- Article 58 – Cross-border cooperation among Digital Services Coordinators
- Article 59 – Referral to the Commission
- Article 60 – Joint investigations
- Section 3 – European Board for Digital Services
- Article 61 – European Board for Digital Services
- Article 62 – Structure of the Board
- Article 63 – Tasks of the Board
- Section 4 – Supervision, investigation, enforcement and monitoring in respect of providers of very large online platforms and of very large online search engines
- Article 64 – Development of expertise and capabilities
- Article 65 – Enforcement of obligations of providers of very large online platforms and of very large online search engines
- Article 66 – Initiation of proceedings by the Commission and cooperation in investigation
- Article 67 – Requests for information
- Article 68 – Power to take interviews and statements
- Article 69 – Power to conduct inspections
- Article 70 – Interim measures
- Article 71 – Commitments
- Article 72 – Monitoring actions
- Article 73 – Non-compliance
- Article 74 – Fines
- Article 75 – Enhanced supervision of remedies to address infringements of obligations laid down in Section 5 of Chapter III
- Article 76 – Periodic penalty payments
- Article 77 – Limitation period for the imposition of penalties
- Article 78 – Limitation period for the enforcement of penalties
- Article 79 – Right to be heard and access to the file
- Article 80 – Publication of decisions
- Article 81 – Review by the Court of Justice of the European Union
- Article 82 – Requests for access restrictions and cooperation with national courts
- Article 83 – Implementing acts relating to Commission intervention
- Section 5 – Common provisions on enforcement
- Article 84 – Professional secrecy
- Article 85 – Information sharing system
- Article 86 – Representation
- Section 6 – Delegated and implementing acts
- Article 87 – Exercise of the delegation
- Article 88 – Committee procedure
Art. 36 DSA
Crisis response mechanism
- Where a crisis occurs, the Commission, acting upon a recommendation of the Board may adopt a decision, requiring one or more providers of very large online platforms or of very large online search engines to take one or more of the following actions:
(a) assess whether, and if so to what extent and how, the functioning and use of their services significantly contribute to a serious threat as referred to in paragraph 2, or are likely to do so;
(b) identify and apply specific, effective and proportionate measures, such as any of those provided for in Article 35(1) or Article 48(2), to prevent, eliminate or limit any such contribution to the serious threat identified pursuant to point (a) of this paragraph;
(c) report to the Commission by a certain date or at regular intervals specified in the decision, on the assessments referred to in point (a), on the precise content, implementation and qualitative and quantitative impact of the specific measures taken pursuant to point (b) and on any other issue related to those assessments or those measures, as specified in the decision.
When identifying and applying measures pursuant to point (b) of this paragraph, the service provider or providers shall take due account of the gravity of the serious threat referred to in paragraph 2, of the urgency of the measures and of the actual or potential implications for the rights and legitimate interests of all parties concerned, including the possible failure of the measures to respect the fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter. - For the purpose of this Article, a crisis shall be deemed to have occurred where extraordinary circumstances lead to a serious threat to public security or public health in the Union or in significant parts of it.
- When taking the decision referred to in paragraph 1, the Commission shall ensure that all of the following requirements are met:
(a) the actions required by the decision are strictly necessary, justified and proportionate, having regard in particular to the gravity of the serious threat referred to in paragraph 2, the urgency of the measures and the actual or potential implications for the rights and legitimate interests of all parties concerned, including the possible failure of the measures to respect the fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter;
(b) the decision specifies a reasonable period within which specific measures referred to in paragraph 1, point (b), are to be taken, having regard, in particular, to the urgency of those measures and the time needed to prepare and implement them;
(c) the actions required by the decision are limited to a period not exceeding three months. - After adopting the decision referred to in paragraph 1, the Commission shall, without undue delay, take the following steps:
(a) notify the decision to the provider or providers to which the decision is addressed;
(b) make the decision publicly available; and
(c) inform the Board of the decision, invite it to submit its views thereon, and keep it informed of any subsequent developments relating to the decision. - The choice of specific measures to be taken pursuant to paragraph 1, point (b), and to paragraph 7, second subparagraph, shall remain with the provider or providers addressed by the Commission’s decision.
- The Commission may on its own initiative or at the request of the provider, engage in a dialogue with the provider to determine whether, in light of the provider’s specific circumstances, the intended or implemented measures referred to in paragraph 1, point (b), are effective and proportionate in achieving the objectives pursued. In particular, the Commission shall ensure that the measures taken by the service provider under paragraph 1, point (b), meet the requirements referred to in paragraph 3, points (a) and (c).
- The Commission shall monitor the application of the specific measures taken pursuant to the decision referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article on the basis of the reports referred to in point (c) of that paragraph and any other relevant information, including information it may request pursuant to Article 40 or 67, taking into account the evolution of the crisis. The Commission shall report regularly to the Board on that monitoring, at least on a monthly basis.
Where the Commission considers that the intended or implemented specific measures pursuant to paragraph 1, point (b), are not effective or proportionate it may, after consulting the Board, adopt a decision requiring the provider to review the identification or application of those specific measures. - Where appropriate in view of the evolution of the crisis, the Commission, acting on the Board’s recommendation, may amend the decision referred to in paragraph 1 or in paragraph 7, second subparagraph, by:
(a) revoking the decision and, where appropriate, requiring the very large online platform or very large online search engine to cease to apply the measures identified and implemented pursuant to paragraph 1, point (b), or paragraph 7, second subparagraph, in particular where the grounds for such measures do not exist anymore;
(b) extending the period referred to paragraph 3, point (c), by a period of no more than three months;
(c) taking account of experience gained in applying the measures, in particular the possible failure of the measures to respect the fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter. - The requirements of paragraphs 1 to 6 shall apply to the decision and to the amendment thereof referred to in this Article.
- The Commission shall take utmost account of the recommendation of the Board issued pursuant to this Article.
- The Commission shall report to the European Parliament and to the Council on a yearly basis following the adoption of decisions in accordance with this Article, and, in any event, three months after the end of the crisis, on the application of the specific measures taken pursuant to those decisions.