EU concludes first DMA review: regulation fit for purpose, AI and cloud are next
The European Commission published the findings of its first statutory review of the Digital Markets Act on 28 April 2026, concluding that the regulation remains fit for purpose and does not require legislative amendment. The review, mandated by Article 53 of the DMA and covering approximately two years of substantive application, finds that the regulation has generated tangible improvements in the contestability and fairness of digital markets in the EU, while identifying AI services and cloud computing as priority enforcement areas.
What the review found
According to the Commission, the DMA has allowed users to transfer their data more easily when switching to rival services and devices, while allowing device makers greater interoperability with Big Tech operating systems. The DMA was designed to be future-proof and adapt to emerging challenges, EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said in a statement, including challenges in AI and cloud. The regulation currently targets Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Booking.com, ByteDance, Meta Platforms and Microsoft, imposing obligations on so-called gatekeepers to prevent them from abusing their market dominance.
The next frontier: AI and cloud computing
The Commission has signalled that future enforcement will focus on making cloud services and AI fairer and more contestable. Cloud designations are expected by November 2026, with the outcome of a third investigation on potential modifications regarding interoperability between cloud computing services not due until May 2027. Regarding the inclusion of generative AI as a core platform service, stakeholder feedback has revealed three schools of thought, ranging from those arguing that vertically integrated services already fall under the DMA to those calling for explicit designation.
Transatlantic tensions intensify
The review comes amid growing pressure from the United States. President Donald Trump’s administration has demanded changes to the bloc’s tech rules and threatened to impose tariffs in retaliation for EU actions against Silicon Valley groups. Apple has demanded that Brussels scrap the DMA altogether, while Meta and Google have intensified their public criticism. Ribera has held firm, telling Politico that the European digital rulebook is not up for negotiation. Pan-European consumer lobbying organisation BEUC has urged the Commission to beef up enforcement, particularly in the new digital areas.
