---
url: https://eurocomply.app/regulations/dsa
canonical: https://eurocomply.app/regulations/dsa
title: Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Single Market For Digital Services (Digital Services Act) — EuroComply
shortName: DSA
alternateNames: [Digital Services Act]
regulationNumber: (EU) 2022/2065
celex: 32022R2065
instrumentType: regulation
status: in-force
inForceDate: 2022-11-16
applicationDate: 2024-02-17
extraterritorialReach: true
sourceUrl: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj
officialJournalRef: OJ L 277, 27.10.2022, p. 1–102
lastReviewed: 2026-05-12
author: EuroComply Team
license: CC-BY-4.0
---

# Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Single Market For Digital Services (Digital Services Act)

The Digital Services Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/2065) is the EU's law for online intermediaries. It modernises liability rules for hosting services, imposes due-diligence obligations on online platforms, and adds heightened risk-management duties for Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Online Search Engines (VLOSEs) — those reaching ≥ 45 million monthly active EU users.

## Who does DSA apply to?

The DSA applies layered obligations: baseline rules for all intermediary services offered in the EU; additional rules for hosting services; further rules for online platforms; and the strictest tier for designated VLOPs/VLOSEs.

- Intermediary services: mere conduit, caching, hosting providers offering services in the EU (regardless of establishment)
- Hosting providers: notice-and-action mechanisms, statements of reasons for content moderation
- Online platforms: trusted flaggers, transparency on recommender systems, ban on dark patterns
- VLOPs/VLOSEs (≥ 45m monthly active EU users): annual systemic-risk assessments, independent audits, crisis response

*Source: DSA Articles 2 and 33 (Scope; Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines).*

## What are the penalties for DSA non-compliance?

Member states set penalties for general intermediaries and online platforms; the Commission is empowered to fine designated VLOPs/VLOSEs directly. Periodic penalty payments can be added.

**Maximum fine:** Up to 6% of global annual turnover for VLOPs/VLOSEs; member states set penalties for other intermediaries

*Source: DSA Article 74 (Fines) and Article 52 (national penalties).*

**Tier detail:**

- VLOPs and VLOSEs (Commission fines): 6% of global turnover (max) — Article 74
- Other intermediary services (national fines): national law (set by national law, with EU-level guidance) — Article 52

## When does DSA apply?

The DSA entered into force on 16 November 2022. It applied to designated VLOPs/VLOSEs from 25 August 2023, and to all other in-scope services from 17 February 2024.

*Source: DSA Article 93 (Entry into force and application).*

**Key dates:**

- 2022-11-16 — Entry into force (Article 93)
- 2023-04-25 — First VLOP/VLOSE designations (Article 33)
- 2023-08-25 — Obligations apply to designated VLOPs/VLOSEs (Article 33(6))
- 2024-02-17 — Obligations apply to all other in-scope services (Article 93)

## Key statistic

**45 million monthly active EU users** — Threshold above which the European Commission may designate an online platform as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) or Very Large Online Search Engine (VLOSE) — triggering the strictest tier of DSA obligations.

*Source: Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, Article 33(1).*

## Supervising authorities

- European Commission (for VLOPs/VLOSEs) *(EU)*
- National Digital Services Coordinators (DSCs) *(member-state)*
- European Board for Digital Services *(EU)*

## Sector applicability

- all online intermediary services offered in the EU regardless of establishment

## Primary articles

- **scope:** Article 2
- **noticeAndAction:** Article 16
- **transparencyOfRecommenderSystems:** Article 27
- **darkPatterns:** Article 25
- **vlopDesignation:** Article 33
- **systemicRiskAssessment:** Article 34
- **audits:** Article 37
- **crisisResponse:** Article 36
- **fines:** Article 74
- **nationalPenalties:** Article 52
- **entryIntoForce:** Article 93

## Related EuroComply resources

- Hub: [/regulations/dsa](https://eurocomply.app/regulations/dsa)
- Penalties: [/regulations/dsa/penalties](https://eurocomply.app/regulations/dsa/penalties)
- Timeline: [/regulations/dsa/timeline](https://eurocomply.app/regulations/dsa/timeline)

## Source

Authoritative text: [(EU) 2022/2065 — EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj) (OJ L 277, 27.10.2022, p. 1–102).

---

Informational only. Not legal advice — consult qualified legal counsel for your specific situation.

Last reviewed: 2026-05-12 by the EuroComply Team. License: CC-BY-4.0.