EU court confirms Amazon subject to bloc's digital rules

An EU court on Wednesday rejected an Amazon challenge against the bloc's digital content law, confirming that the tech giant must comply with its strict rules.

Amazon was seeking to overturn its designation as a "very large online platform," which are subject to tougher rules than smaller players under the European Union's behemoth Digital Services Act (DSA).

"Amazon's action against the (European) Commission's decision designating the platform Amazon Store as a 'very large online platform' is dismissed," the Luxembourg-based General Court ruled.

The U.S. titan said it was "disappointed" with the ruling and intended to appeal.

The DSA demands that online platforms better protect users and that marketplaces counter the spread of illegal goods and content online, with tougher rules for platforms having more than 45 million monthly active users in the European Union.

The General Court -- the lower chamber of the Court of Justice of the European Union -- said Amazon contested the lawfulness that imposed "specific obligations of transparency, cooperation and access to data".

The company accused Brussels of infringing on several rights guaranteed by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, including among others the freedom to conduct a business, freedom of expression and information, and the protection of confidential information.

The court said that while the rules interfered with certain freedoms including the freedom to conduct a business and potentially freedom of expression, this was "justified" because of the law's objectives.

Amazon insisted it had been "committed to protecting them (customers) from illegal products and content well before" the DSA.

"The Amazon Store, as an online marketplace, does not pose any such systemic risks; it only sells goods, and it doesn't disseminate or amplify information, views or opinions," an Amazon spokesperson said.