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The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the Digital Services Act, a landmark package announced by President von der Leyen in her political guidelines and in the Commission's Communication “Shaping Europe's Digital Future” of 19 February. The consultation seeks to gather views, evidence and data from people, businesses, online platforms, academics, civil society and all interested parties to help us shaping the future rulebook for digital services. The consultation, open until 8 September, covers issues such as safety online, freedom of expression, fairness and a level-playing field in the digital economy.
Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager said: “The Internet presents citizens and businesses with great opportunities, which they balance against risks that come with working and interacting online. At this time, we are asking for the views of interested citizens and stakeholders on how to make a modern regulatory framework for digital services and online platforms in the EU. Many of these questions impact the day-to-day lives of citizens and we are committing to build a safe and innovative digital future with purpose for them.”
The current regulatory framework for digital services dates back twenty years. It helped the growth of European digital services but it does not give answers to many of today's pressing questions on the role and responsibility of online platforms, especially the largest ones.
Europe needs a modernised regulatory framework to reduce the ever increasing regulatory fragmentation across Member States, to better ensure that everyone across Europe is protected online as they are offline and to offer to all European businesses a level playing field to innovate, grow and compete globally. Users' safety as well as the respect of their fundamental rights, in particular their freedom of expression, must be systematically guaranteed.
The consultation covers the two work strands announced by the Commission as part of the Digital Services Act package.

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