Firm calls for immediate and decisive action
eDreams ODIGEO has today come out to say it “strongly condemns” Google-parent Alphabet Inc’s “blatant disregard” for the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a situation that it has said is “enabled by the European Commission’s failure to enforce the regulation in a timely manner”.
Nearly 17 months after the DMA obligations on gatekeepers came into effect, it said Google “continues its harmful self-preferencing practices”, which it believes directly impacting millions of European businesses and consumers every day.
While the European Commission issued preliminary findings months ago confirming Google was in apparent breach of the law, a final enforcement decision has yet to be made.
This delay leaves the interests of the European digital ecosystem without the protections mandated by the regulation.
As the sole enforcer of the DMA, the Commission has both responsibility and mandate to act.
eDreams ODIGEO urges the Commission to adopt a “zero-tolerance policy” against these clear infringements to ensure the regulation “does not become a law that can be ignored without consequence”.
Guillaume Teissonnière, general Counsel at eDreams ODIGEO, said: “Google is making a mockery of a landmark European regulation. Every day the Commission delays, European consumers and businesses are harmed by Google’s illegal practices.
“The DMA was created specifically to stop this damage, yet nearly 17 months on, the situation remains unchanged.
“We urge the Commission to fulfil its duty to protect the European market and send a clear message that the EU is serious about enforcing its own laws against gatekeepers who openly flout them.”
