Brussels, Belgium:
Amazon on Wednesday suspended requirements for online advertising under EU technical rules after Europe's highest court upheld EU regulators, saying the EU's interests outweighed the vital interests of U.S. online retailers. I lost the battle for what I wanted.
Under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which came into force last year, Amazon was designated as a very large online platform that is subject to strict rules to deal with illegal and harmful content on its platform.
The company subsequently challenged the DSA's requirement to publish a repository containing detailed information about online advertising and sought interim measures until the court rules on the matter.
A lower court in September agreed to the court's request for interim measures to suspend the disputed obligations, prompting the Commission to turn to the European Supreme Court.
The Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) canceled the suspension order and rejected Amzon's application for interim measures.
The judge said Amazon's argument that the obligation unlawfully restricts its fundamental right to respect for private life and its freedom to conduct business is not far-fetched.
He also said that without an injunction, Amazon is likely to suffer serious and irreparable harm before a judgment is rendered invalidating the commission's decision.
However, he said the suspension could have a negative impact on the DSA's objectives.
“The suspension could lead to a delay of several years in the full achievement of the objectives of the Single Market for Digital Services regulation, and could therefore allow an online environment that threatens fundamental rights to persist or develop,” the judge said. .
“In this case, the interests defended by the EU Parliament take precedence over Amazon's vital interests, so that the balance of interests tilts in favor of rejecting the suspension request.”
“We are disappointed in this decision and assert that Amazon does not meet the description of a 'Very Large Online Platform' (VLOP) under the DSA and should not be designated as such,” Amazon said in a statement. .
The case is C-639/23 P(R) | Commission v. Amazon Services Europe.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
