Do online platforms rules apply to an online marketplace?
Short answer
Yes, this is the core case. The DSA writes notice and action procedures, the P2B rules write the business user terms, and the gatekeeper duties apply only after designation.
Read against the registers 2026-08-26.
Who the role is
A platform where a third party sells to a buyer: the platform carries duties of its own, next to the seller's.
What the topic covers
The EU has the densest platform rulebook: content procedures, business user terms and gatekeeper duties. The United States works through consumer protection enforcement. China regulates the recommendation service itself.
Duties the EU acts name for this role
- Digital Services Act — Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, Article 30: Collect and check the trader's identity, address, payment account and self-certification before letting them sell.
- Digital Services Act — Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, Article 31: Design the interface so the trader can give the product information the law requires before the offer goes live.
- Digital Services Act — Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, Article 32: Tell buyers who bought an illegal product about it, or publish the information when the buyers cannot be reached.
- P2B Regulation — Regulation (EU) 2019/1150, Article 3: Write terms in plain language, keep them available and give notice before they change.
- P2B Regulation — Regulation (EU) 2019/1150, Article 4: Give a statement of reasons before a business seller is restricted, suspended or terminated.
- P2B Regulation — Regulation (EU) 2019/1150, Article 5: Describe the main parameters that decide ranking, and whether payment affects it.
- P2B Regulation — Regulation (EU) 2019/1150, Article 11: Run an internal complaint-handling system for business sellers and report on how it is used.
The rows behind the answer
European Union
- Digital Services Act — Regulation (EU) 2022/2065: Notice and action procedures, statements of reasons, trader traceability and advertising transparency.
- Digital Markets Act — Regulation (EU) 2022/1925: Duties for designated gatekeepers on self-preferencing, data combination and interoperability.
- P2B Regulation — Regulation (EU) 2019/1150: Terms for business users: ranking parameters, notice before changes and an internal complaint route.
United States
- FTC Act Section 5, unfair or deceptive practices in AI and data: Ranking, review and endorsement claims are representations that Section 5 can be enforced against.
China
- Provisions on the Management of Algorithmic Recommendation in Internet Information Services: Filing of the recommendation service, an off switch for the user and duties on ranking transparency.
Where companies usually start
- Write the ranking description once and reuse it in the terms, the help page and the filing.
- Keep statements of reasons in a form that can be exported per case.
- Check the business user terms against the notice periods before the next price change.
This page reads published registers and describes common practice. It is not legal advice and it is not a compliance verdict.
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