The EU Digital Regulation Gap: Big Tech vs European Platforms

Last week, OLX Group CEO Christian Gisy travelled to Brussels with the European Tech Alliance (EUTA), joining leaders from 20 European technology companies for meetings with commissioners, national ambassadors and the President of the European Parliament to discuss the future of Europe’s digital rulebook.

These are important conversations. The rules matter because they’re designed primarily for global tech giants – but they also apply to European platforms like OLX. That creates a mismatch.

At OLX, we power trusted marketplace connections in 7 markets, touching 23.9 million users monthly, across Motors, Real Estate, Jobs and General Classifieds. 

We don’t monetise user data at scale. We don’t run algorithmic content feeds. We connect buyers and sellers in our markets, helping people find their next car, home, or job.

As Christian put it directly to policymakers last week: the intentions behind many of these proposals are sound, but blanket rules built for the world’s largest platforms risk creating unintended casualties for European ones.

At OLX, we believe that smart regulation can strengthen trust, protect consumers and support competition. But it needs to reflect the full diversity of Europe’s tech ecosystem.

Europe has the talent, the scale, and the ambition to compete globally. What it needs now is a policy environment that keeps pace with that potential.

OLX Group is a member of the European Tech Alliance (EUTA). Learn more at eutechalliance.eu.