Filenews 6 December 2024
Cyprus has been running lately to approve a harmonizing bill and regulations, which entered into force on 17.2.24 and concern digital services and the control of various platforms that offer them.
As stated in a relevant publication, the implementation of the above will have a positive social impact due to the strengthening of the protection of fundamental rights of users of digital media and especially minors, the general public, consumers/buyers, e-commerce, transparency of digital media.
The delay observed in the promotion of the bill and regulations led the Legal Service to catch the ear of the Ministry of Interior by recording the following in a relevant letter marked "URGENT":
"I must point out that the drafts were submitted with unreasonably excessive delay to the Legal Service, following the receipt of a Letter of Formal Notice from the European Commission due to the non-timely implementation of Articles 51 and 52 of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, despite the fact that the European Commission pointed out from November 2022, the date of entry into force of the EU Regulation, the need to appoint the Digital Services Coordinator, as essential for the implementation of the Regulation by the Member States. On 3 October 2024, as you know, the European Commission sent a Reasoned Opinion for which the deadline for reply is 3 December 2024. That is why I ask you to take all appropriate steps so that the draft legislation is immediately submitted to the House of Representatives."
As can be seen from the above, the Legal Service "wrote" to the EU again given that the deadline for responding expired on December 3.
The harmonizing bill introduces new legislation in light of the appointment of the Cyprus Radio and Television Authority as National Coordinator for the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 on digital services, the immediate effect of the Regulation from 17.2.24 in all Member States and the rapid developments observed in the field of digital services and online platforms and search engines. The Regulation aims to establish harmonised rules to create a safe, predictable and trustworthy online environment through the introduction of measures and obligations for online/online platforms and search engines. The bill aims to protect users' fundamental rights, properly supervise online platforms and create a trusted and secure online landscape.
