2020年6月2日，欧盟委员会推出了两项重大磋商：一个与可能的新竞争工具有关，以允许EC在无需查找任何公司违反欧盟竞争法的弱势市场中进行干预（Ex Ante Tool Consultation），第二个与即将到来的数字服务法案套餐（）DSA Consultation）。两项磋商于2020年9月8日关闭，2020年底可能遵循的立法提案。

这些提案可能导致冯德琳委员会的一些最重要的监管变迁，并将对欧盟（欧盟）的各种公司进行广泛的公司，而不仅传统上被认为是“数字化”的公司。

本文讨论了两项磋商及其与其他欧盟和国际改革努力的关系，然后结束了对这些举措的可能长期影响的思考。

前赌注工具咨询

In recent years, the EC has engaged in a wide-ranging review of EU antitrust policy and tools, especially as regards the digital economy. Notably, the EC commissioned a study published in May 2019 on competition policy for the digital era (theDigital Era Report)。The EC has concluded that ensuring the contestability and fair functioning of markets requires three pillars: (i) continued vigorous enforcement of the existing competition rules, including the use of interim measures and restorative remedies; (ii) regulation of digital platforms(addressed in the DSA Consultation discussed below); and (iii) a possible new ex ante tool to deal with structural competition problems (e.g., preventing markets from tipping).

前赌注工具咨询focuses on the third element, the proposal for a new competition tool allowing the EC to impose behavioural and structural remedies without any finding of an infringement or ability to impose fines. According to the EC, markets may be vulnerable to structural failure even without companies acting anti-competitively owing to structural features such as high concentration and entry barriers, consumer lock-in, lack of access to data or data accumulation. Similarly, oligopolistic market structures increase the risk of tacit collusion, including markets featuring increased transparency due to algorithm-based technological solutions, which are becoming increasingly prevalent.

在前赌注咨询中，EC要求对市场特征的投入被认为导致结构问题。提出的因素包括集中的市场;高度垂直整合;高启动成本;高固定运营成本;监管障碍;重要的专利或版权;信息不对称;高客户交换成本;缺乏进入输入/资产，例如数据; extreme economies of scale or scope; strong direct network effects; strong indirect network effects; prevalence of “single-homing”; platform owners competing with business users; significant financial strength; zero-pricing strategies; data dependency; and use of pricing algorithms.

EC还请求有资格作为结构问题的市场情景的投入。具体提到的情景包括在核心市场延伸到相关市场的核心市场中的市场权力（但不一定是主要位置）的公司;反竞争垄断;高度集中的市场;广泛使用算法定价;网守方案;和小费市场。调查问卷有关具有市场权力的公司的方案有关更多细节，该方案适用于将市场权力扩展到其他市场，例如通过依赖大量数据。

对于需要新的权力,EC请求views on whether the EC’s existing powers are sufficient to address problematic market situations, or whether new powers are needed, either across all sectors/markets or only in certain sectors/markets (in particular digital ones). The EC further asks for views on whether the intervention should be dominance-based or potentially applicable to non-dominant companies. The tools available to the EC could potentially range from making non-binding recommendations; making recommendations to sectoral regulators; making legislative recommendations; and imposing remedies (non-structural, structural (e.g., divestitures) or hybrid) directly on companies.

EC的呼吁引入新的前蚂蚁工具回声a联合提案由2019年10月的大学机构，但比皆英提案更有限。特别是，虽然这些当局提出给予EC（可能是国家）当局的权力，但在没有发现发生侵权的情况下强加非惩罚性补救措施，其拟议的工具仅适用于发现具有主导地位的公司。如果EC继续基于在前赌注磋商中获得的全方位的权力的提案，那些权力将更密切地与英国竞争和市场权力（CMA）的权力相似market studies and investigations这些权力广泛，并导致了非常重要的补救措施，包括例如要求airports owner BAA至剥离一些机场。

The DSA Consultation

DSA咨询比EX Ante咨询更广泛，涵盖了主要针对在线平台和数字经济的广泛主题。第一组问题涉及2000年的可能修正e-commerce directive，延伸到在线中介机构关于自由的规则，为欧盟单一市场提供数字服务单一市场及对用户创建的内容的限制。

The bulk of the questions, intended to shape the forthcoming DSA, address issues in digital markets where large online platforms act as gatekeepers. The consultation explores the need for rules to address market imbalances, potentially through general rules for all platforms of a certain scale (such as rules on self-preferencing) and/or through tailored obligations for specific gatekeepers (such as non-personal data access obligations, specific requirements regarding personal data portability, or interoperability requirements). The DSA Consultation also takes the opportunity to consult on other emerging issues, such as rules for self-employed people providing services through online platforms in the “gig economy.” The DSA Consultation finally includes a general section on governance issues in enforcing the EU Single Market for online services.

DSA协商与电子商务指令有关，拟议的DSA和演出经济致辞的主要主题总结如下。

E-Commerce Directive Questions. The DSA Consultation asks a wide range of questions regarding (i) the sale or provision of illegal goods or services online, transparency requirements, whether adequate protections are available for activities that could cause harm but are not illegal (e.g., in relation to children and fake news) and experiences with erroneous removals, as well as (ii) responsibilities of online platforms. The DSA Consultation also asks for input on the liability regime applicable to digital services providers acting as intermediaries.

DSA问题。DSA咨询的核心涉及数字平台的把关人权力，主要受数字时代报告的启发。在认识到在线平台的经济效益的同时，欧盟委员会认为，他们能够利用一个地区的优势进入相邻地区，从而创造了少数“赢家通吃/大多数”的在线平台，这些平台可以接管潜在的竞争对手，而现有或潜在的进入者很难与之竞争。DSA咨询会就具体问题的范围以及解决这些问题的含义、定义和参数征求意见。

中发现的问题。In relation to the scope of perceived problems, the EC asks for stakeholders’ views on whether consumers have sufficient alternatives to online platforms; ease of switching and “multi-homing”; data portability; interoperability; information asymmetries; barriers to entry or expansion by small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); dependency on large online platforms; imbalances in bargaining power; unfavourable contract terms; large online platforms creating barriers to entry and expansion; large online platforms leveraging assets from their primary activities to other activities; and the risk that large online platforms expanding into new activities could reduce innovation and deter competition from smaller innovative operators.

守门。To assess the economic power of online platforms and identify those that play a “gatekeeper role,” the EC identifies a number of potential criteria. These include whether platforms have a large user base, wide geographic coverage, and impact in a certain sector. Others include whether platforms benefit from strong network effects, leverage assets to enter new activities, raise barriers to entry, or accumulate valuable data and information. Still others include alternatives available to users/consumers and whether users/consumers are locked-in.

The EC also asks for input on whether participation in certain activities can strengthen the gatekeeper role of online platforms. These include intermediation services; search engines; operating systems for smart devices; consumer reviews; network and/or data infrastructure/cloud services; digital identity services; payment services; physical logistics such as product fulfilment; data management; or online advertising intermediation.

INPUTE在另一方面的大型在线平台的业务用户中征集，另一方面是在另一方面的。要求企业用户识别不公平的合同条款和不公平的做法。同样，消费者被问到他们是否遇到商业条款和条件的问题，例如与电子商务市场，应用商店，搜索引擎，操作系统，社交网络和数据共享有关。

新的监管框架。该协商询问有关在线平台可能的新监管框架的各种问题，包括此类框架是否应在欧盟或国家层面引入。EC询问这些规则是否应特别禁止某些实践和/或将在大型在线平台上施加特殊义务，并具有守门人的作用。

EC正在考虑是否需要一个新的特定监管机构，权力可以提供资料，这些权力可以从收集信息，监控大型在线平台和对目标特定公司的案例补救措施进行监控。EC询问监管和执法权是否应由同一当局行使，以及在线平台的任何新规则应如何与现有部门的具体规则有关。

与竞争执法的关系。In a nod to the Ex Ante Consultation, the DSA Consultation asks for views on the comparative effectiveness to address structural completion problems of enforcement of the current competition rules; a new regulatory framework imposing generally applicable obligations and prohibitions; a new regulatory framework allowing imposition of tailored remedies; and a new ex ante competition tool.

其他监管框架。DSA咨询包括关于未来DSA与其他法律框架之间相互作用的问题。与数据有关，咨询要求在欧盟一般数据保护规范中的那些情况下，应要求促进竞争和创新的措施，同时确保高标准的个人数据保护和消费者福利。同样，磋商会要求有关确保媒体多元化的有效措施的意见。

在线广告和智能合同。DSA咨询还包含关于与在线广告和智能合同有关的具体问题的部分。关于在线广告，这些问题区分了在线广告的消费者;显示广告的网站所有者;广告商;和在线平台。与智能合同有关，协商要求在相互认识到不同欧盟成员国缔结的智能合约的有效性方面是否需要更清晰;有效性的最低标准;消费者信息;智能合同的中断; liability for damages; and special issues around payment and currency-related smart contracts.

经济问题。DSA咨询旨在了解通过在线平台提供服务的个体经营者的情况，例如在搭车、食品配送、家政工作、设计工作和微任务部门，以及是否存在需要通过立法解决的特定于平台经济的问题。DSA咨询不包括通过在线平台销售商品或租赁房地产。

Issues identified as areas of potential concern for gig economy workers include earnings; flexibility in choosing when and where to work; transparency on remuneration; tackling non-payment; transparency in online ratings; collective bargaining; lack of legal permits; prevention of discrimination; and allocation of liability.

Our Take

The Ex Ante Tool and DSA Consultations represent sweeping and ambitious initiatives that are likely to result in some of the most important legislative proposals of the Von der Leyen Commission. Although both consultations invite a wide range of views, and some stakeholders will no doubt feel that no new legislation is required, it seems clear that the EC is likely to propose new legislation following both consultations, even if the scope of such legislation is unclear today.

虽然猜测细节为时过早，EC似乎很有可能提出新的立法，使其能够在未经识别欧盟规则的预先存在的侵犯欧盟规则的情况下被视为提出结构竞争的问题。拟议的权力可能包括直接干预措施，无论是一般性质还是针对个别公司，不仅仅是提出建议。不太明确委员会委员会是否将促进仅针对大学当局（Benelux Audiorities）（或者更广泛）沿着英国CMA所享有的权力的行业提出的主导公司进行干预的权力。

It also seems clear that the DSA Consultation will be followed by new proposed legislation in the Digital Services Act package. Some of this legislation may take the form of relatively technical amendments to existing legislation, such as the e-commerce directive and EU social legislation. But the EC is also likely to propose innovative legislation defining large online platforms with a gatekeeper role, imposing special obligations on those platforms and potentially creating a new enforcement mechanism allowing for the imposition of targeted remedies on a case-by-case basis. The relationship between such powers and existing sectoral regulation, as well as a possible new ex ante tool, will raise complex questions.

Both consultations raise a number of issues around access to data and use of algorithms. As such, they are closely related to other major EU initiatives, including the EC’sEuropean data strategy和artificial intelligence举措。这两个举措也涉及主要磋商，并可能导致立法提案，包括2021年的主要数据法提案。这些措施可能会处理相关问题，例如鼓励数据共享和互操作性的措施，特别是对于公共机构和数据在能源，医疗保健和流动等主要经济领域。

A number of other EC workstreams will also affect the baseline – i.e., enforcement of existing EU competition tools -- for the Ex Ante Tool Consultation and the core questions in the DSA Consultation. Separate from the two consultations, the EC is engaged in a multi-prong EU antitrust reform process that may lead to major changes in areas including the assessment of horizontal and vertical cooperation agreements, market definition, and possibly merger control.

在欧盟开展业务的公司，不仅限于传统上被视为“数字”公司的公司，因此将在未来几年内受到各种相互关联的欧盟反垄断和监管机构的影响。响应前Ante和DSA磋商将是影响欧盟条例和反托拉斯政策的方向的重要下一步。

Jay Modrall, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright LLPJames R. Modrall是一个基于布鲁塞尔的反垄断和竞争律师。He joined Norton Rose Fulbright LLP in September 2013 as partner, having been a resident partner in a major US law firm since 1986. A US-qualified lawyer by background, he is a member of the bar in New York, Washington, D.C., and Belgium. With 27 years of experience, he is a leading advisor for EU and international competition work, in particular the review and clearance of international mergers and acquisitions. Mr Modrall also has extensive experience with EU financial regulatory reform, advising the world’s leading private equity groups in connection with the new EU directive on alternative investment fund managers and leading banks and investment firms on EU initiatives including EU regulation of derivatives, EU reforms in financial market regulation and the creation of a new EU framework for crisis management, among others. Mr. Modrall’s native language is English, and he is fluent in Italian and proficient in Dutch and French.