The Luxembourg competition authority, acting as the Digital Services Coordinator (DSC), is participating in coordinated actions led by the European Digital Services Committee. This initiative aims to support the European Commission in addressing platforms that unlawfully provide access to pornographic content for minors within the European Union.

On May 27, the European Commission initiated in-depth investigations into very large online platforms (VLOPs) for potential violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA) concerning the protection of minors. The DSC, including the Luxembourg authority, will coordinate national actions against online pornographic platforms that are not classified as VLOPs.

The committee emphasizes the need for a consistent approach to ensure that platforms fulfill their obligations to maintain a high level of privacy, security, and safety for minors online. The goal is to prevent minors from being illegally exposed to online pornography.

Digital Services Coordinators and other competent authorities will share insights on methodologies and best practices for identifying pornographic platforms and assessing their age verification measures. These discussions will be informed by finalized guidelines for implementing Article 28 of the DSA, which are currently under public consultation, as well as ongoing investigation results from the Commission.

In this context, the Luxembourg authority is collaborating with other national authorities overseeing internet content, including ALIA regarding audiovisual content. It is also engaging with platform providers based in Luxembourg to evaluate their compliance with the DSA. Non-compliance may lead to sanctions for these platforms.

The authority asserts its jurisdiction over platforms whose legal representative or main establishment responsible for financial functions and operational control is located in Luxembourg. It works closely with national authorities from other member states where platforms accessible to Luxembourg users are established.

The Digital Services Act (DSA) primarily aims to ensure a safe and responsible online environment. It imposes rules on online intermediary services, with additional specific obligations for very large platforms that reach over 10% of the 450 million consumers in Europe. As the DSC, the Luxembourg authority oversees compliance for approximately 195 intermediary service providers established in Luxembourg that fall under the DSA. The European Commission retains oversight for compliance specifically concerning very large platforms and search engines.