French president slams EU delay in enforcing DSA and DMA on big tech
French President Emmanuel Macron has sharply criticized the slow pace of the European Commission’s enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA), arguing that ongoing investigations into major U.S. tech companies have been pending for roughly two years and are “way too slow.” Speaking at an event in northeastern France, he suggested that institutional hesitation within the Commission and among Member States is hampering effective enforcement of the EU’s flagship digital regulations. According to Macron, this hesitation stems partly from political pressure originating in Washington.
Macron linked the enforcement delays to what he described as a broader “US offensive” against the DSA and DMA, characterizing the situation as a “real geopolitical battle.” His remarks followed a recent visit by a U.S. trade delegation to Brussels, during which U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reportedly urged the EU to scale back its application of the DSA and DMA to American tech firms in exchange for improved terms on steel and aluminum tariffs, worth several billion euro in annual trade flows. Macron explicitly framed this as an attempt to trade regulatory concessions in the digital sector for advantages in industrial goods.
In response, the European Commission, through its digital spokesperson Thomas Regnier, defended the current enforcement track record under the DSA and DMA. Regnier stressed that the Commission is “fully behind our digital legislation” and that varying case durations are largely attributable to the breadth and complexity of the investigations. He noted that some files are inherently more extensive, requiring deeper factual and legal assessments, particularly where systemic risks and potential gatekeeper conduct are concerned.
The Commission is currently running DSA investigations into platforms such as X and Meta, while Apple, Meta, and Google are facing scrutiny under the DMA. Former Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton, who played a central role in drafting the EU’s digital rulebook, has also publicly cautioned EU lawmakers against yielding to U.S. lobbying efforts aimed at weakening enforcement. The debate highlights the growing geopolitical dimension of EU digital regulation, where competition, fundamental rights, and strategic autonomy intersect with transatlantic trade and diplomatic pressures.
