FEDMA Signs Joint Industry Statement Urging Evidence-Based Approach to Digital Fairness Act

As the European Commission prepares to introduce the Digital Fairness Act (DFA), FEDMA has joined a broad coalition of European and international trade associations in signing a joint industry statement calling for a targeted, competitiveness-driven approach to upcoming regulatory proposals.

The statement, supported by leading industry bodies representing companies of all sizes across key sectors, urges policymakers to avoid overlapping or unnecessary legislation and instead focus on effective enforcement of existing consumer protection rules. The signatories caution that Europe’s already complex digital regulatory framework should not be burdened with additional rules unless there is a clear, evidence-based justification for intervention.

“European consumers already benefit from some of the world’s strongest protections. The key challenge is not a lack of rules, but how they are enforced,” said the signatories.

The statement highlights that many of the policy issues currently under discussion, including dark patterns, personalization, addictive design, influencer marketing, and subscription models, are already covered by a broad set of existing EU laws such as the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, Digital Services Act, General Data Protection Regulation, Consumer Rights Directive, Audiovisual Media Services Directive, and the recently adopted AI Act.

The joint call reinforces a message of regulatory coherence and simplicity, echoing European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s July 2024 statement that the EU’s “first priority will be prosperity and competitiveness.” The industry groups stress that any new regulation under the DFA should be based on clearly identified market failures and include a thorough impact assessment on businesses and the wider economy.

FEDMA strongly supports this position. As the voice of Europe’s data-driven marketing industry, we believe that smart, balanced regulation must protect consumers while supporting innovation, SMEs, and Europe’s digital competitiveness.

You can read the full joint industry statement here.