Commission services sign administrative arrangement with Italian media regulator to support enforcement of Digital Services Act

The Commission services have signed an administrative arrangement with the Italian media regulator (Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni, AGCOM) to support the Commission’s supervisory and enforcement powers under the Digital Services Act (DSA).

The arrangement aims to develop expertise and capabilities that will help the Commission to identify and assess systemic risks under the DSA, including risks related to the spread of illegal content and disinformation as well as negative effects on minors. It will contribute to organising the practical exchange of information, data, good practices, methodologies, technical systems and tools with the regulator.

AGCOM was appointed the Digital Services Coordinator for Italy and will thus become part of the Board for Digital Services, to be established by February 2024 and composed of one competent authority per Member State.

The Commission service responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the DSA, the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (CNECT), has recently concluded similar administrative arrangements with the media regulators of France and Ireland, and is in discussions with others to be announced in due time.

These arrangements follow the recent Commission Recommendation to Member States for coordinating their response to the spread and amplification of illegal content on Very Large Online Platforms and Very Large Online Search Engines.

The DSA sets landmark rules to shape a secure and trusted online environment in the EU. Effective and active cooperation with Member States and national regulatory authorities is crucial to achieve this especially in the current context of conflict, marked by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel.