The EU Commission assesses the interaction of the Digital Services Act with other EU laws and its designation threshold for VLOPs and VLOSEs.

The Commission has published a report assessing the interaction of the Digital Services Act (DSA) with other EU laws and the designation process for very large online platforms and search engines.

The report confirms that the designation criteria for very large online platforms (VLOPs) and search engines (VLOSEs), including the threshold of 45 million monthly active recipients on average, remain fit for purpose and well suited to the dynamic digital environment.

The report also assesses the interactions between the DSA and 54 other legal acts, in areas such as data protection and privacy, audiovisual, media and intellectual property, consumer policy, product safety and democracy, security and justice. In its analysis, the report demonstrates how the DSA interacts with and complements other legal acts, providing a powerful basis for sectoral legislation due to its horizontal and fully harmonised effect.

In the context of the ongoing digital simplification process, the report identifies selected provisions where regulatory overlaps require closer coordination to ensure clear application of legal frameworks. This contributes to a coherent and integrated regulatory framework, ensuring legal certainty for citizens and businesses, and informs upcoming legislative revisions.

The report, based on Article 91(1) of the DSA, fulfils a legal obligation introduced by the co-legislators to assess the adequacy of the DSA horizontal framework and its interaction with other sector-specific legislation by 17 November 2025. It takes into account the feedback received from civil society organisations, Digital Services Coordinators, other national competent authorities, online platforms and search engines, including VLOPs and VLOSEs, following 3 investigations launched by the Commission. The contributions received highlight a broad consensus of all stakeholders on the need for clearer legislation, guidelines and greater inter-institutional cooperation.

This report is one of the most comprehensive legal mapping exercises on EU law on digital platforms and online intermediary services and is a valuable tool for navigating the digital acquis. It is the first of several reports that the DSA requires by 2027, assessing both the impact of Regulation 2022/2065 on the development and economic growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, and its overall effectiveness after its entry into force.