EU Digital Services Act (DSA)
EU Digital Services Act (DSA) is Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, in force since November 16, 2022 and applying to all intermediaries from February 17, 2024, that sets rules for online platforms on illegal content, transparency and marketplace trader checks.
What it requires
Online marketplaces must collect and verify trader identity, contact and registration details and a product compliance self-certification before listing (Article 30), design interfaces so traders can provide product safety information (Article 31) and inform buyers who purchased illegal products (Article 32). Platforms need notice-and-action systems. Very large platforms, with over 45 million EU users, face Commission supervision, risk assessments and audits. Fines can reach 6 percent of worldwide annual turnover.
Why it matters
The DSA makes EU marketplaces gatekeepers of seller data, so a non-EU brand selling on Amazon, Temu or Zalando must supply verified trader details and product safety information or listings are removed. For a 3PL, the effect shows up in onboarding: brands need an EU economic operator, labeling details and traceable addresses before inventory goes live. The Commission has opened formal proceedings against large marketplaces including Temu and AliExpress over illegal product risks, showing active enforcement.
Related laws
- EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)2023, applies from 2024 · Safety, labeling, and EU contact rules for products
- INFORM Consumers Act2022, effective 2023 · US law making marketplaces verify high-volume sellers
- EU Consumer Rights Directive2011, applied 2014 · EU rules on online sales, withdrawal rights and delivery
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 (EUR-Lex) eur-lex.europa.eu
- European Commission: The Digital Services Act digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu
Not legal advice.