Under new EU legislation, major internet businesses will be subject to a 0.1 percent supervisory fee: EU

According to an EU document, major internet platforms will be charged a fee of up to 0.1 percent of their annual net income to cover the expense of monitoring compliance with new European Union laws forcing them to do more to control their material.

The rules for the Digital Services Act (DSA) are expected to be agreed upon by EU governments and legislators later this month. The European Commission, as the bloc's executive body, would be the first to levy such a fee.

The decision comes as the Commission looks for new revenue streams to help the region's economy recover from the pandemic while also encouraging a greener, more digital economy. To enforce the new tech standards, a large number of experts would be required.

The document reviewed by Reuters stated, "The overall amount of the annual supervisory fees shall be based on the estimated expenditures the Commission incurs in relation to its supervisory activities under this Regulation."

"The fee shall not exceed 0.1 percent of the supplier of very large online platforms' (or very big search engines') global yearly net income in the preceding financial year."

It went on to say that the cost should be proportional to the magnitude of the service as measured by the number of people who use it in the EU. The DSA applies to very big online platforms with 45 million or more monthly active users, according to the Commission.

According to a person with direct knowledge of the topic, EU antitrust commissioner Margrethe Vestager told parliamentarians and member states last month that the levy might raise between 20 million euros (USD22 million) and 30 million euros yearly.

According to the paper, not-for-profit providers of extremely large internet platforms and very large online search engines will be excluded from the payments, which will help firms like Wikipedia and research organisations.

Vestager's plan is likely to get approval from EU member states and legislators, who will gather on April 22 for the fourth round of talks, which is widely expected to end in a settlement.

"We believe it is doable, and we see movement," EU politician Christel Schaldemose, the DSA's European Parliament leader, told Reuters.

The Commission has refused to comment on the talks.

According to Commission sources, national telecoms regulators and the European Securities and Markets Authority, which levy fees on firms under their supervision, might be compared.

"We want the DSA to be a success, and we support supervisory fees that are proportionate, underpinned by a thorough methodology, and in line with industry standards," Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc, said., and commensurate with industry standards," Alphabet Inc's Google said.

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