European Union: Council adopts Digital Services Act containing new digital oversight board

On 4 October 2022, the Council of the European Union gave final approval to the regulation on a Single Market For Digital Services (DSA). The DSA aims to protect consumers against illicit content or services and protect their basic rights online. The passed DSA will create a new European Board for Digital Services, which will support EU member states and their new national Digital Services Coordinators (DSc) in their investigations and analysis of “very large online platforms and search engines” reports and audits. Furthermore, the DSA will create a crisis response mechanism that the European Commission can activate on the recommendation of the board of national Digital Services Coordinators. The mechanism will allow the Commission to analyse the impact of "very large online platforms" and "very large online search engines" activities on a particular crisis and take proportionate measures to protect individuals’ fundamental rights.