On November 19, 2025, the EU General Court dismissed Amazon EU Sàrl’s challenge to the European Commission’s decision designating the Amazon Store as a very large online platform (VLOP). The designation remains in force, so Amazon Store remains subject to the Digital Services Act’s enhanced requirements. The Commission appealed aspects of the judgment, and that appeal was pending as of August 18, 2026.
What the General Court decided
The case concerned the Commission’s April 25, 2023 decision designating the Amazon Store as a VLOP under Article 33(4) of the Digital Services Act (DSA), Regulation (EU) 2022/2065. Amazon EU Sàrl sought to have that designation annulled. The General Court rejected the action in Case T-367/23. The court’s November 19, 2025 announcement and the judgment set out the decision.
Amazon argued that its central activity is retail and marketplace operation, rather than distributing third-party content like a social-media service. It also challenged the burdens and rights implications of the VLOP regime, raising concerns including freedom to conduct a business, property, expression, privacy and data protection, and equal treatment.
The court accepted that the requirements can create costs, organizational changes and technical complexity. It nevertheless concluded that the enhanced obligations were legally provided for, proportionate and justified by the public interest in addressing systemic risks associated with very large platforms, including risks involving illegal content and consumer protection. Recognizing a burden did not mean the court found the designation unlawful.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
What VLOP status means
For this designation framework, a VLOP is an online platform that reaches more than 45 million monthly active recipients in the EU—approximately 10% of the Union’s population. The legal measure is monthly active recipients in the EU, not simply a worldwide user count. VLOPs face obligations beyond the baseline DSA rules, with direct supervision by the European Commission. The Commission’s DSA overview describes the wider framework.
The requirements most relevant to Amazon’s challenge include:
Rank #2
- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
- Systemic-risk assessment (Article 34): assess risks arising from the service’s design or operation.
- Risk mitigation (Article 35): take reasonable, proportionate and effective measures to address identified risks.
- Recommender systems (Article 38): offer at least one option that is not based on profiling.
- Advertising transparency (Article 39): maintain an advertising repository and make it publicly available.
- Data access (Article 40): provide access to data for regulators and vetted researchers under the conditions set by the DSA.
These duties came from the DSA; the 2025 judgment did not create them or set a new compliance deadline. Amazon’s materials include DSA risk-assessment and audit-related information for its EU Store.
Why the earlier “reprieve” was limited
The headline’s reference to a reprieve reflects a separate interim-relief episode, not a fresh suspension request decided with the merits judgment. The sequence matters:
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Rank #3
- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
- On April 25, 2023, the Commission designated the Amazon Store as a VLOP.
- On September 27, 2023, the General Court temporarily suspended the requirement that Amazon make its advertising repository publicly available. The order did not suspend all DSA duties, and Amazon still had to compile the repository. The interim order summary records the limited scope.
- In March 2024, the Court of Justice set aside that part of the interim order and dismissed Amazon’s application for interim measures, finding that the Commission had not been given a proper opportunity to respond in the earlier proceedings. The Court of Justice announcement explains the procedural outcome.
- On November 19, 2025, the General Court dismissed Amazon’s substantive challenge to the designation.
The General Court and the Court of Justice are distinct courts within the Court of Justice of the European Union: the former issued the 2025 merits judgment, while the latter decided the 2024 interim-relief appeal.
The designation stands, but the litigation continues
The European Commission appealed the General Court’s judgment on January 30, 2026. The appeal is Case C-47/26 P. The Commission challenges aspects of the General Court’s treatment of Articles 34, 35, 38, 39 and 40, including its analysis of whether Amazon had the required direct legal connection to challenge those statutory provisions and whether parts of its reasoning gave sufficient reasons. The appeal notice describes the grounds, and the InfoCuria case listing showed the appeal as pending on August 18, 2026.
Rank #4
- Meet Echo Dot Max: Experience rich room-filling sound that automatically adapts to your space and fine-tunes playback. Features a built-in smart home hub and Omnisense technology for highly personalized experiences.
- Music to your ears: With nearly 3x the bass versus Echo Dot (2022 release), it fits beautifully in any space, delivering your personal sound stage with deep bass and enhanced clarity. Listen to streaming services, such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and SiriusXM. Encore!
- Do more with device pairing: Connect compatible Echo smart speakers and smart displays in different rooms, or pair with a second Echo Dot Max to enjoy even richer sound. Pair your Echo Dot Max with compatible Fire TV devices to create a home theater system that brings scenes to life.
- Simple smart home control: Set routines, pair and control lights, locks, and thousands of smart home devices that work with Alexa without needing a separate smart home hub. With Omnisense technology, you can activate routines via temperature or presence detection.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot Max doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
That produces an unusual procedural posture: Amazon lost its main action and did not obtain the practical relief it sought, while the Commission appealed parts of the reasoning in the judgment. The pending appeal means the legal dispute is not definitively over; it does not change the fact that the designation remains in force unless and until the relevant legal position changes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Practical effect for Amazon and other marketplaces
The Commission continues to list Amazon EU Sàrl as a designated VLOP under its supervision. The ruling therefore leaves Amazon Store within the enhanced DSA framework, including applicable risk, transparency, audit and data-access requirements. The designation judgment is not itself a fine or the conclusion of a separate enforcement investigation. The Commission’s current designated-platform list identifies Amazon’s status.
Best Value
- MEET ECHO SPOT - A sleek smart alarm clock with Alexa and big vibrant sound. Ready to help you wake up, wind down, and so much more.
- CUSTOMIZABLE SMART CLOCK - See time, weather, and song titles at a glance, control smart home devices, and more. Personalize your display with your favorite clock face and fun colors.
- BIG VIBRANT SOUND - Enjoy rich sound with clear vocals and deep bass. Just ask Alexa to play music, podcasts, and audiobooks. See song titles and touch to control your music.
- EASE INTO THE DAY - Set up an Alexa routine that gently wakes you with music and gradual light. Glance at the time, check reminders, or ask Alexa for weather updates.
- KEEP YOUR HOME COMFORTABLE - Control compatible smart home devices. Just ask Alexa to turn on lights or touch the screen to dim. Create routines that use motion detection to turn down the thermostat as you head out or open the blinds when you walk into a room.
For other marketplaces, the case is a warning against assuming that a retail identity alone prevents VLOP treatment. The relevant questions include whether the service falls within the DSA’s platform definitions and whether it meets the scale threshold. The judgment concerns Amazon Store and does not automatically classify every large retailer or marketplace as a VLOP.
Nor did the decision announce a specific change to consumer terms, a refund program or a product-removal initiative. Any consumer effect would arise indirectly through the transparency, risk mitigation and oversight obligations, rather than through a remedy ordered in this case.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
