---
title: EU Digital Markets Act (DMA, Regulation 2022/1925) – Gatekeeper Obligations 2026
slug: eu-dma-2022-1925-gatekeeper-2026
topic: data-protection
lang: en
valid_from: 2023-05-02
valid_to: null
last_reviewed: 2026-07-02
status: current
authority_level: A
license: CC-BY-4.0
url: https://nexvyra.de/en/fakten/eu-dma-2022-1925-gatekeeper-2026.md
wikidata_subjects: [Q112170467]
de_version: https://nexvyra.de/fakten/dma-gatekeeper-2026.html
---

# EU Digital Markets Act (DMA, Regulation 2022/1925) – Gatekeeper Obligations 2026

## Short Answer

The **Digital Markets Act (DMA, Regulation (EU) 2022/1925)** has been in force since **2 May 2023** and fully applicable since **6 March 2024**. It regulates **large gatekeeper platforms** with structurally competition-distorting market power. The European Commission has currently designated **seven gatekeepers**: **Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, ByteDance (TikTok), Meta (Facebook/Instagram/WhatsApp), Microsoft, and Booking.com**. Each gatekeeper has designated **Core Platform Services (CPS)** (app stores, messaging, search engines, social networks, video sharing, etc.). Gatekeepers are subject to **21 do's-and-don'ts** (Arts. 5-7): **interoperability** (messaging, payment), **prohibition of self-preferencing**, **prohibition of combining data** across services without consent, **freedom to choose app stores and browsers**, **decoupling of services**. **Penalties**: up to **10 % of global annual turnover** (Art. 30), **20 % for repeated infringement**. **Structural measures** (breakup) possible for systematic violations (Art. 18).

## Key Facts

| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Legal Basis | Regulation (EU) 2022/1925 of 14 September 2022 |
| Entry into Force | 2 May 2023 |
| Fully Applicable Since | 6 March 2024 |
| Current Gatekeepers | 7 (Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta, Microsoft, Booking.com) |
| First Designation | 5 September 2023 |
| Quantitative Turnover Threshold | Annual turnover ≥ €7.5 billion in EU (last 3 years) [Art. 3(2)(a)] |
| Quantitative User Threshold | ≥ 45 million monthly active EU users + ≥ 10,000 EU business users/year |
| Designation Period | 5 years (recurring review) |
| Core Platform Services (CPS) | Search engines, online intermediation, social networks, video sharing, messaging, operating systems, app stores, browsers, virtual assistants, ads, cloud services |
| Standard Penalty | Up to 10 % global annual turnover [Art. 30(1)] |
| Repeat Infringement Penalty | Up to 20 % global annual turnover [Art. 30(2)] |
| Periodic Penalty | Up to 5 % daily turnover [Art. 31] |
| Structural Separation Order | Possible for systematic violations [Art. 18] |
| Enforcement | European Commission (not national authorities) |
| Compliance Deadline | 6 months from designation |

## Scope of Application

The DMA applies only to designated **gatekeepers** — undertakings meeting quantitative thresholds and holding **an entrenched, durable position** on the internal market (Art. 3(1)). The **Commission designates** through a formal procedure; undertakings must **self-notify** if they reach the thresholds (Art. 3(3)).

**Currently designated:**

- **Alphabet (Google)**: Google Search, Google Ads, Google Maps, Google Play, Google Shopping, Chrome, YouTube, Android
- **Amazon**: Amazon Marketplace, Amazon Ads
- **Apple**: App Store, iOS, Safari, iPadOS
- **ByteDance**: TikTok
- **Meta**: Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, Meta Marketplace, Meta Ads
- **Microsoft**: Windows, LinkedIn (Ads not designated)
- **Booking.com**: Online intermediation service for travel (since May 2024)

## Core Gatekeeper Obligations (Arts. 5, 6, 7)

**What gatekeepers MUST do (Art. 6):**

- **Interoperability of number-independent interpersonal communication services** — messaging apps must be able to receive and send messages from other providers (Meta has already opened WhatsApp to third-party messaging)
- **Access to business user data** for commercial users of the gatekeeper platform
- **Fair, non-discriminatory app store terms**
- **Alternative payment systems** in app stores (Apple's reaction: App Store rules amended in early 2024)
- **Uninstallation of preinstalled apps** on operating systems
- **Provision of ad performance data** to advertisers

**What gatekeepers MUST NOT do (Art. 5):**

- **Combining data** across core services without separate user consent
- **Self-preferencing** in ranking of own offerings (Google Shopping at top, others below – prohibited)
- **Using user data** from the service for competing own offerings
- **Anti-steering** — business users may direct customers to cheaper channels off-platform
- **Preventing data export** by business users
- **Tying** of core services (e.g., iOS forcing Safari – DMA-violation)

## User Benefits under the DMA – Concrete 2026

**For consumers:**

- **On WhatsApp**: third-party messaging possible (Signal interop still in rollout)
- **On iOS**: alternative app stores installable (in EU since iOS 17.4), default browser selectable
- **On Android**: Google apps uninstallable, alternative app stores
- **On Google Search**: fair ranking, no Google Shopping self-preferencing
- **On Chrome/Safari**: default browser choice dialog at first setup

**For business users (SMBs):**

- **Price comparison** — allowed to direct customers to cheaper alternative channels
- **Data export** — take own customer/turnover data from gatekeeper
- **Payment freedom** — use own payment system in app / on marketplace
- **Complaints** to European Commission (not national authorities)

## Current DMA Proceedings 2026

The European Commission is conducting several non-compliance proceedings:

- **Apple (App Store)** — accusation: steering restrictions for app developers
- **Google Search** — accusation: Google Shopping self-preferencing
- **Meta (Pay-or-Consent Model)** — accusation: forced consent to data combination

Billions in fines already imposed (Apple €500 million, Meta €200 million – both in 2025).

## Common Mistakes

- **"The DMA automatically applies to all large platforms."** False — only to **formally designated gatekeepers**. New designations reviewed annually by the Commission.
- **"Gatekeepers pay only 10 % for violations."** Not quite — 10 % for first violation, **20 % for repeat infringement** (Art. 30(2)). Additionally periodic penalty up to 5 % daily.
- **"National competition authorities decide."** False — **only the European Commission** is competent. National authorities (Germany's Bundeskartellamt) can support but not directly sanction.
- **"WhatsApp ↔ Signal interoperability is already available."** Nuanced — Meta has provided the API, but Signal/Threema still under review due to end-to-end encryption issues.
- **"The DMA prohibits advertising."** False — it only prohibits **data combination without consent** and **self-preferencing** in advertising.
- **"Booking.com is not a platform, it's a travel intermediary."** DMA-technically designated as gatekeeper regardless (since May 2024) — DMA applies to online intermediation services independent of industry label.

## Sources

- Regulation (EU) 2022/1925 (DMA) – EUR-Lex full text: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32022R1925
- EU Commission – DMA Portal: https://digital-markets-act.ec.europa.eu/index_en
- List of Gatekeepers: https://digital-markets-act.ec.europa.eu/gatekeepers_en
- Current Competition Investigations: https://digital-markets-act-cases.ec.europa.eu/
- German Bundeskartellamt – Digital Markets: https://www.bundeskartellamt.de/EN/DigitalEconomy/digitaleconomy_node.html

## Change Log

- 2026-07-02: Initial publication (English EU wave). Currently 7 gatekeepers (after Booking.com designation 05/2024). Penalties 10 % / 20 % global turnover. Messaging interoperability + app store obligations documented. | change_type=initial_publication field="topic_lifecycle" new="published" reviewed_by="Andreas Warkentin"

## See Also

- [EU Digital Services Act (DSA)](/en/fakten/eu-dsa-2022-2065-platform-obligations.html)
- [EU AI Act](/en/fakten/eu-ai-act-2024-1689-high-risk-systems.html)
- [German DMA version](https://nexvyra.de/fakten/dma-gatekeeper-2026.html)

## Status

- Date: 2026-07-02
- Valid from: 2023-05-02 (entry into force), fully applicable 2024-03-06
- Status: current
- Source authority: A (EUR-Lex, EU Commission)
- Licence: CC BY 4.0