Gatekeepers, platform power, and EU law: enforcement challenges under the digital markets act

This article critically analyses the enforcement framework of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), with a focus on its early operational phase. The DMA establishes a new regulatory regime that addresses entrenched platform power through ex ante obligations on designated gatekeepers. Building on the European Commission’s emerging practice, ranging from gatekeeper designations and compliance reporting to non-compliance investigations and judicial review, the study examines how Article 3 DMA has been applied in practice. It highlights frictions in the enforcement of core obligations concerning data governance, interoperability, default settings, and app distribution. The analysis further explores the institutional dynamics between the Commission, national authorities, the Digital Markets Advisory Committee, and the High-Level Group, showing how these bodies shape the coherence of DMA enforcement within the broader EU digital acquis. By tracing the regulatory trajectory from designation to compliance, the article assesses whether the DMA can fulfil its stated objectives of fairness and contestability in digital markets, while it also identifies the structural and institutional challenges that may hinder its effectiveness.