Digital Markets Act: from Solo Act to Orchestra
2026 Call for abstracts
The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is a central EU instrument for addressing gatekeeper power in digital markets. Its effectiveness depends not only on the legal obligations it creates, but also on implementation, enforcement, monitoring, and the capacity of affected actors to provide usable evidence.
In over two years since the beginning of its implementation, the European Commission has taken several enforcement steps, and a variety of results are visible on relevant markets, for both business and end users. Yet, the enforcer operates under clear constraints. These include limited resources, high technical complexity, information asymmetries, sustained pressure from gatekeepers, and geopolitical tensions. Several forms of partial, formal, delayed, or friction-based compliance remain difficult to identify, document and contest.
With this call for papers for the fourth iteration of our DMA Symposium, we aim to gather original work by scholars addressing so far overlooked themes and issues and to stimulate research and debate on the implementation and enforcement of DMA rules. The format and room for collective discussion and debate amongst scholars, regulators, technologists and Commission officials is unique in the Brussels environment and we look forward to enabling a similar atmosphere once again over two days this coming 12 and 13 November.
Similar to previous years, we will ensure that chosen papers are paired with a dedicated discussant on the day and we intend to once again to enhance the necessary multidisciplinary approach with the presence of a team of technologists to dissect proposed enforcement solutions and to offer their views on the papers.
We particularly welcome scholarly contributions that address one of the following themes, but other proposals fitting the general objectives of this call are welcome as well:
This cluster will include research focusing on specific obligations and critically assessing how they have been implemented so far, their impact on users’ rights and on market contestability, and relevant trade-offs. Among others, research in this cluster will look at:
- Gaps in terms of markets, services and/or behaviours still overlooked, e.g. with regards to interoperability:
– Are there other Core Platform Services (CPSs) to be considered? E.g. social networks, cloud services?
– Under which business conditions is there a business case for smaller messaging service? What does interoperability between social networks mean? - The impact of emerging technologies in DMA enforcement and their interrelation to technologies considered CPSs. E.g. To what extent can AI functionalities implemented in key parts of operating systems become essential for the competitive advantage of the gatekeeper?
- Is there a difference in the importance of “distribution platforms”? Operating systems are subject to interoperability; what about gatekeepers’ marketplaces or social networks? Are they equally effective as distribution platforms and is DMA addressing it adequately? Special mention for NIICS: interim measures have been imposed under Regulation 1/2003 on WhatsApp prohibiting to exclude chatbots. Is DMA not concerned? Is it a case for Article 6(6)?
- Gatekeepers’ rent:
– what methodology could be uses to determine the value created by the gatekeeper (i.e. mobile phone, an operating system) vs value created by the users (developers in particular) and how to determine what is the “gatekeeper rent”?
– the DMA regulates (some) access to the gatekeepers’ infrastructure. Usually access regulation is accompanied by access price regulation. Is this a gap in the DMA? Is Article 6(12) enough to sort this out? Moreover: Article 6(12) applies to app stores but not to operating systems: if gatekeepers shift charges from app store to operating systems, are they off the hook? - Publishers and AI: Is AI the “evolution of search” or is it a distinct service because the content is not intermediated anymore – and thus under the responsibility/liability of the company (see recent German courts judgements)? With regards to visibility and remuneration of publishers: can the DMA square the circle alone, or is an interplay DMA/DSA needed?
This cluster will include research looking at the enforcement structure and at procedural issues. Among others, it will focus on:
- The DMA took inspiration from anti-trust procedure: what is working and what is not? What are possible solutions to current shortcomings? E.g. technical capacity to monitor and assess compliance; methodology for imposing fines; confidentiality and right of defence vs transparency vis à vis third parties and civil society.
- EU v national perspective, and role of NCAs: procedural alignment across the EU regulators vs alignment in substance. What could be done? Is a one-stop-shop solution possible or even desirable?
- The DMA High Level Group: should it have an increased role, enhanced cooperation including on specific cases, with decision making powers?
- Complementarity and interplay between public and private enforcement: what are the possibilities under Article 39 and what can be done to improve the system and enhance deterrence? For instance, do we need legal and funding mechanisms for access to justice in DMA enforcement, and which could they be?
- Interplay with the broader EU digital rulebook. For example:
– The ‘pay or consent’ across DMA, GDPR, DSA and consumer law;
– Remedies addressing social media markets under DSA and DMA rules between synergies and silos;
– DMA and GDPR: how to share search data and how to ensure data portability for social media in ways that comply with both;
– Access and interoperability across DMA and Data Act;
– Security concepts in DMA and in EU cyber security laws such as Cyber Resilience Act. Also, are there spillover effects of standards from cyber security laws onto the DMA?
– Impact of de-regulation “omnibus package” in the DMA. For instance, how Digital Networks Act and the AI standards affect DMA enforcement?
This cluster will include research that looks at the DMA in 5 to 10 years from now. Among others, it will assess:
- How future proof DMA rules are when it comes to new technologies, e.g. agentic AI or AI-based reverse engineering.
- The DMA was designed with cases and experience in mind (Google Search and Google Shopping, NFC etc.). It cannot be that the DMA obligations are limited to the problems of the 2010s. How should we read the DMA in the future? What instruments could be used to maintain the DMA capacity to adapt and evolve in parallel with market and technological developments?
- Strengths and weaknesses of the first review process.
- Methodologies to assess impact on business users and on end users – in view of the next review. Do we need different methodologies for different obligations?
This cluster will include research that looks at the DMA in the broader geographical context:
- Geopolitical scenario: how the DMA lands/fits in trade and industrial policy priorities, both within and outside the EU
- DMA-style initiatives elsewhere. Among others:
– Enforcement progresses under the Japanese ‘Act on Promotion of Competition for Specified Smartphone Software’;
– Brazilian authority’s intervention in digital markets and the how the newly proposed powers would change the scenario;
– Tech regulation in China;
– Market regulation legislation in Turkey, South Korea and South Africa. - Regulators’ dialogue and cooperation across borders and across domains: from a theoretical opportunity to an impactful reality. How far are we, and which could be key enablers?
Scholars are invited to submit an extended abstract 800-1000 words long (excluding bibliography), which must describe:
1. Research question(s)
2. Methodology
3. Main (expected) findings of the paper
4. Contributions to literature and/or ongoing policy debates
Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches are warmly encouraged. Authors of accepted abstracts will be invited to discuss their elaborated draft during a Symposium in Brussels on 12 and 13 November 2026. The symposium will count on the presence of members of this call’s Scientific Committee, as well as keynote speakers, including high level members of the European Commission.
The extended abstract must be uploaded to the submission platform by 4 September 2026, 23.59h (in the submitter’s timezone). When submitting their abstract, scholars are required to disclose any funding or support they receive for their work.
Individual abstracts will be reviewed in a double-blind peer-review. Please do not include names or any other identifiable information on the uploaded file or in the text of the abstract you submit to the platform. The platform records the author’s name(s) and contact information: the programme committee chair will be able to see that information. Full papers should only be submitted upon invitation, following the selection of abstracts. For further information on the submission process please contact [email protected].
Important dates:
- Submission portal opens: 27 June
- Deadline for abstracts submission: 4 September
- Notification to authors of acceptances/rejections:
15 September
- Notification to authors of acceptances/rejections:
21 September - Accepted authors confirm attendance:
28 September - Symposium: 12-13 November
Scientific Committee:
Anna Rita Bennato, Associate Professor in Economics, Loughborough Business School, United Kingdom
Joanna Bryson, Professor of Ethics and Technology, Hertie School, Berlin, Germany
Chiara Caccinelli, Deputy Head of the Economic Analysis and Digital Affairs Unit, ARCEP, France
Alissa Cooper, Executive Director of the Knight-Georgetown Institute, Washington, D.C., United States
Kati Cseres, Associate Professor, Amsterdam Center for European Law & Governance, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Lucas Lasota, Just Transition Center – University of Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
Stavros Makris, Lecturer, University College London, United Kingdom
Helena Malikova, Fellow, Hertie School Center for Digital Governance, Berlin, Germany
Franco Mariuzzo, Associate Professor in Econometrics, University of East Anglia, United Kingdom
Mark Nottingham
Alba Ribera Martínez, Lecturer in Competition Law, Universidad Villanueva, Spain
Giacomo Tagiuri, Assistant Professor, University of Amsterdam
Simonetta Vezzoso, Senior Researcher and Professor of Competition Policy, University of Trento, Italy
For any queries about this call, please write to [email protected].
Previous editions: