European Digital Competition Day – Competition policy in the digital age: Balancing innovation and regulation

Assessing the Digital Markets Act (DMA) at Three: Results & Impact

23 April 2026, Brussels

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About the event

Three years after the Digital Markets Act (DMA) started to apply, the 2026 edition of the European Digital Competition Day will provide a full-day assessment of the DMA’s enforcement, implementation, and real-world impact.

Taking place on 23 April 2026, the conference comes at a pivotal moment – just ahead of the DMA’s review in early May.

The timing makes this discussion especially relevant for policymakers, regulators, businesses, and legal experts navigating the European Union’s evolving digital landscape.

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Join leading experts for four panel discussions and a special fireside chat exploring:

Panel I: Does the DMA allow for effective compliance?
Panel II: Is the DMA the right instrument to promote competition in cloud computing?
Fireside chat: Digital market rules around the globe
Panel III: How does ex-ante digital regulation affect consumers and security?
Panel IV: Is generative AI too dynamic for the DMA’s framework?

The event will bring together senior EU policymakers alongside national competition authorities, leading academics, industry representatives, and legal practitioners. Designed to encourage debate, the day includes dedicated networking opportunities during coffee breaks, lunch, and at the end of the event.

This conference, organised by the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA Europe) will be held in person. Participation is free of charge, but registration is required. Join the conversation online using #DigitalCompetitionDay.

Programme

8:15-8:50

Registration & Welcome coffee

8:50-9:00

Word of welcome / introductory remarks

Daniel Friedlaender, Senior Vice President & Head of Office, CCIA Europe

9:00-9:20

Keynote speech

Giuditta Caldini, Deputy Office Managing Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP

9:20-10:20

Panel I – Does the DMA allow for effective compliance?

This panel will critically assess the realities of DMA compliance and enforcement – focusing on procedural ambiguities, enforcement practice to date, and potential reforms to strengthen legal certainty and effectiveness.

Lucia Bonova, Head of Unit Digital Platforms I, DG Competition, European Commission
Salome Cisnal de Ugarte, Partner, Paul Hastings LLP; Author of study ‘The Digital Markets Act – A Procedural Journey Towards Effective Compliance’
Andreas Schwab MEP, Chair of the European Parliament’s DMA Implementation Working Group
James Waterworth, Director of EU Public Policy, Amazon
Javier Espinoza (Moderator)

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10:20-10:40

Coffee break

10:40-11:40

Panel II – Is the DMA the right instrument to promote competition in cloud computing?

This panel will examine whether the DMA is an effective instrument for addressing competition concerns in the cloud computing market, and consider whether more scrutiny by competition authorities may be warranted in this space.

Matthias Bauer, Director, European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE); Author of study ‘Cloud Resilience and Security: Why Exit, Portability, and Lifecycle Design Matter’
Pedro Hinojo, Head of Market Studies, Spanish National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC)
Danielle Jacobs, CEO of Beltug, Belgian association of CIOs and digital technology leaders
Chris Meyers, Associate General Counsel EU Competition Law, Amazon
Javier Espinoza (Moderator)

See the panel

11:40-12:10

Fireside chat – Digital market rules around the globe

As other jurisdictions develop their own ex-ante regulatory frameworks, and some draw inspiration from Europe’s rulebook, this discussion will explore how these approaches compare with the DMA – and how they offer different solutions to address challenges in digital markets.

Yusuke Takahara, First Secretary, Economic Section: Competition, Mission of Japan to the European Union – seconded from the Japan Fair Trade Commission

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12:10-13:10

Lunch break

13:10-14:10

Panel III – How does ex-ante digital regulation affect consumers and security?

This panel will examine the unintended effects and trade-offs of ex-ante digital regulation such as the DMA, focusing on consumer welfare and online security, and consider how future rules or updates can ensure consumers remain net beneficiaries.

Chiara Caccinelli, Deputy Head of the Economic Analysis and Digital Affairs Unit, ARCEP
Gary Davis, Senior Director Regulatory Legal, Apple
Zach Meyers, Director of Research, Centre on Regulation in Europe (CERRE); Author of study ‘Open Tech Platforms: Technology and Governance Mechanisms’
Sebastien Pant, Senior Policy Officer Competition & Digital Enforcement, European Consumer Organisation (BEUC)
Heather West, Senior Fellow, Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), Center for Cybersecurity Policy and Law (CCPL)
Matej Podbevšek (Moderator)

See the panel

14:10-14:30

Coffee break

14:30-15:30

Panel IV – Is generative AI too dynamic for the DMA’s framework?

This panel will examine the inherent tension between the DMA and the rapidly evolving generative AI ecosystem, and assess why applying static, ex-ante obligations to such a dynamic and multi-layered environment risks creating structural distortions.

Erik Dahlberg, Senior Economist (Chief Special Advisor), Tech Division, Danish Competition and Consumer Authority
Eliana Garcés, Founder and Principal Economist, LAMA Economic Research
Thibault Schrepel, Associate Professor of Law at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Amsterdam Law & Technology Institute), Faculty Affiliate at Stanford University
Bartlomiej Telejko, Head of EU Data Governance, Competition and Cybersecurity Policy, Google
Matej Podbevšek (Moderator)

See the panel

15:30-15:45

Closing remarks

Maria Teresa Stecher, Senior Policy Manager, CCIA Europe

15:45-17:00

Networking drinks

The venue

The event takes place at the Sofitel Brussels Europe hotel (Place Jourdan 1, 1040 Brussels), conveniently located in the European Quarter.

To reach the hotel by public transport, there are several options:

Take metro 1 or 5 to ‘Schuman’ station plus a five-minute walk

Take bus 59, 60 or 80 to ‘Jourdan’ plus a two-minute walk

For those arriving by car, the hotel offers a car park with hourly and daily rates.

If this is full, a paid parking garage is available nearby at BePark (Rue Gray 102, 1040 Etterbeek).

About the speakers

Keynote address

Giuditta Caldini

Deputy Office Managing Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP

Read biography

Panel I – Does the DMA allow for effective compliance?

Lucia Bonova

Head of Unit Digital Platforms I, DG Competition, European Commission

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Salome Cisnal de Ugarte

Partner, Paul Hastings LLP; Author of study ‘The Digital Markets Act – A Procedural Journey Towards Effective Compliance’

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Andreas Schwab MEP

Chair of the European Parliament’s DMA Implementation Working Group

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James Waterworth

Director of EU Public Policy, Amazon

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Javier Espinoza

Moderator

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Panel II – Is the DMA the right instrument to promote competition in cloud computing?

Matthias Bauer

Director, European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE); Author of study ‘Cloud Resilience and Security: Why Exit, Portability, and Lifecycle Design Matter’

Read biography