France: Passed Bill Securing and Regulating the Digital Space including unilateral conduct regulation

On 17 October 2023, the Bill Securing and Regulating the Digital Space, including unilateral conduct regulation, was passed by the Nation Assembly of France. The Bill aims to transpose obligations outlined in the European Digital Service Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) to align national laws with these regulations. The measures include prohibiting data transfer fees to ensure data subjects are not artificially blocked from accessing their data and requiring providers to ensure the interoperability of their services. Furthermore, the Bill would prohibit gatekeepers from favouring their services on their platforms and would be required to provide fair and equal access to prevent discriminatory practices. Lastly, measures will be implemented to enable independent verification of advertising activity. The bill will now be submitted to a joint committee of the two Houses responsible for examining and proposing a text on the provisions that remain under discussion.