Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said the EU executive had taken note of the president’s decision and encouraged Poland to move ahead with adopting the law, stressing the need to harmonise digital regulations across the bloc to protect its 450 million citizens.
Member states are expected to appoint national digital services coordinators to enforce compliance with the act. Poland, along with the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Spain and Portugal, has yet to do so.
Because of the delay, the Commission referred Poland to the EU’s top court last May, Regnier said.
Nawrocki vetoed the bill on Friday, arguing it would open the door to administrative censorship and force citizens to confront state authorities to defend their freedom of expression.
Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski criticised the veto, saying the legislation was intended to protect children from online violence.
The Digital Services Act took effect across the EU on February 17, 2024. It regulates the operation of social media platforms and search engines, placing additional obligations on large platforms with more than 45 million users in the EU. These include requirements to remove illegal content and increase transparency around advertising and political ads.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP