Digital platforms are now one of the main drivers of innovation and play an increasingly central role in the contemporary economy and society. This thesis aims to analyse the shift from the traditional ex post approach of antitrust law to the new ex ante regulation introduced by the Digital Markets Act (DMA), with the aim of assessing whether this regulatory instrument is capable of effectively responding to the challenges posed by the growing power of big tech or whether, on the contrary, it raises some concerns. After a theoretical framework aimed at defining the concept of online platforms, classifying the main types and analysing their growing market power and related competition issues, the analysis shifts to the Google Search (Shopping) case. This case represents not only one of the most significant cases in the evolution of competition law applied to the digital economy — marking a turning point in the interpretation of Article 102 TFEU, adapted for the first time to the specific dynamics of digital platforms — but also a fundamental reference point in the European regulatory debate, as it served as a catalyst for the development and introduction of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The third chapter examines the European regulatory package introduced in 2022, which consists of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA). While analysing both regulations, the main focus will be on the DMA, as it is more directly related to the antitrust issues covered by the research. The thesis concludes with a critical reflection on the main concerns raised by the implementation of the DMA, in particular with regard to its potential negative impact on innovation, small and medium-sized enterprises, consumers and its effective complementarity with traditional antitrust law.
Le piattaforme digitali sono oggi uno dei principali motori dell'innovazione e svolgono un ruolo sempre più centrale nell'economia e nella società contemporanee. La presente tesi si propone di analizzare il passaggio dal tradizionale approccio ex post della normativa antitrust alla nuova regolamentazione ex ante introdotta dal Digital Markets Act (DMA), con l'obiettivo di valutare se questo strumento normativo sia in grado di rispondere efficacemente alle sfide poste dal crescente potere delle big tech o se, al contrario, stia sollevando alcune preoccupazioni. Dopo un quadro teorico volto a definire il concetto di piattaforme online, classificarne le principali tipologie e analizzarne il crescente potere di mercato e le relative questioni di concorrenza, l'analisi si sposta sul caso Google Search (Shopping). Questo caso rappresenta non solo uno dei casi più significativi nell'evoluzione del diritto della concorrenza applicato all'economia digitale - segnando una svolta nell'interpretazione dell'articolo 102 TFUE, adattato per la prima volta alle dinamiche specifiche delle piattaforme digitali - ma anche un punto di riferimento fondamentale nel dibattito normativo europeo, in quanto ha funto da catalizzatore per lo sviluppo e l'introduzione del Digital Markets Act (DMA). Il terzo capitolo esamina il pacchetto normativo europeo introdotto nel 2022, che consiste nel Digital Markets Act (DMA) e nel Digital Services Act (DSA). Nell'analizzare entrambe le normative, l'attenzione principale sarà rivolta al DMA, in quanto più direttamente correlato alle questioni antitrust oggetto della ricerca. La tesi si conclude con una riflessione critica sulle principali preoccupazioni sollevate dall'attuazione del DMA, in particolare per quanto riguarda il suo potenziale impatto negativo sull'innovazione, sulle piccole e medie imprese, sui consumatori e sulla sua effettiva complementarità con il diritto antitrust tradizionale.
The shift from ex post control of traditional antitrust law to ex ante regulation: Does the new Digital Markets Act effectively address the challenges posed by digital platforms, or does it give rise to new concerns?
GALLO, LAURA
2024/2025
Abstract
Digital platforms are now one of the main drivers of innovation and play an increasingly central role in the contemporary economy and society. This thesis aims to analyse the shift from the traditional ex post approach of antitrust law to the new ex ante regulation introduced by the Digital Markets Act (DMA), with the aim of assessing whether this regulatory instrument is capable of effectively responding to the challenges posed by the growing power of big tech or whether, on the contrary, it raises some concerns. After a theoretical framework aimed at defining the concept of online platforms, classifying the main types and analysing their growing market power and related competition issues, the analysis shifts to the Google Search (Shopping) case. This case represents not only one of the most significant cases in the evolution of competition law applied to the digital economy — marking a turning point in the interpretation of Article 102 TFEU, adapted for the first time to the specific dynamics of digital platforms — but also a fundamental reference point in the European regulatory debate, as it served as a catalyst for the development and introduction of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The third chapter examines the European regulatory package introduced in 2022, which consists of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA). While analysing both regulations, the main focus will be on the DMA, as it is more directly related to the antitrust issues covered by the research. The thesis concludes with a critical reflection on the main concerns raised by the implementation of the DMA, in particular with regard to its potential negative impact on innovation, small and medium-sized enterprises, consumers and its effective complementarity with traditional antitrust law.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14247/26703