Overview: Digital Markets Act
Why the DMA matters for developers - and how we made their voices heard.
What is the Digital Markets Act?
The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is a landmark EU regulation designed to promote fair competition and curb the dominance of large technology “gatekeepers.” It sets new rules for how major digital platforms operate - governing everything from app store practices to data sharing, interoperability, and self-preferencing.
For developers, these changes affect how they distribute apps, reach users, and compete in the digital marketplace. The DMA represents both an opportunity and a challenge - an effort to open platforms, but one that could also reshape the tools and systems developers rely on every day.
Why Developers' Voices Matter
The DMA's implementation will directly influence the developer ecosystem - from app store policies and APIs to advertising tools and data portability.
Yet, early discussions around the law often lacked meaningful developer input. That's where DevAlliance stepped in - to ensure that developers' real-world perspectives were represented in the policy conversation.
Developers aren't just users of digital platforms - they're builders who understand how changes in regulation can impact innovation, security, and market access. Our goal was to make sure policymakers heard those insights before enforcement began.
Our Advocacy Effort
To gather those voices, we launched the DMA Developer Survey, reaching software builders, startups, and independent creators across Europe.
The survey collected firsthand experiences about:
- How “gatekeeper” platforms affect distribution and competition,
- What changes developers want to see in platform access and fairness, and
- What unintended consequences they fear from new regulations.
The findings from this campaign informed our formal feedback to EU policymakers and contributed to ongoing advocacy around fair, developer-friendly competition policy.
What’s Next
The DMA is now moving from legislation to enforcement - and that means real-world impacts for developers are just beginning.
Our work continues through ongoing collaboration with partners, policymakers, and developer communities to ensure that innovation, fairness, and opportunity remain at the heart of the digital economy.