On the evening of 6 May 2024, the 170th lecture of the Monday Seminar Series ‘Current Problems in Business Private Law’ was held at the Institute for Corporate and Tax Law. Prof Dr Eckart Bueren from the University of Göttingen discussed the interconnections between the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in front of the attendees and online viewers.

The lecture began with an explanation of the significance of the data market and its increasing relevance, which serve as the foundation for the mentioned European regulations and their objectives. The perspectives of users and consumers were consistently considered and examined in this context.

Particular emphasis was placed on Article 5 of the DMA, often referred to as the ‘gatekeeper article’. Prof Dr Bueren elaborated on the prohibitions and the reservations for permission, including their regulatory techniques and underlying purposes. The specific requirements were detailed, and the provisions for user choice and consent were extensively discussed. This was followed by a comparison with the already existing GDPR, where differences and similarities were addressed.

Furthermore, relevant court decisions were mentioned to connect the subject matter with current events and provide participants with a comprehensive overview.

The event concluded with a social gathering featuring a small buffet, rounding off an engaging and informative evening.