Data & Privacy
- Data Act
- Data Governance Act
- ePrivacy Directive
- GDPR
AI & Trust
- Artificial Intelligence Act
Cybersecurity
- Cybersecurity Act
- DORA
- NIS2
Digital Services & Media
- Digital Markets Act
- Digital Services Act
- European Media Freedom Act
Data Act
- Recitals
CHAPTER I
GENERAL PROVISIONSArticles 1 — 2
CHAPTER II
BUSINESS TO CONSUMER AND BUSINESS TO BUSINESS DATA SHARINGArticles 3 — 7
CHAPTER III
OBLIGATIONS FOR DATA HOLDERS OBLIGED TO MAKE DATA AVAILABLE PURSUANT TO UNION LAWArticles 8 — 12
CHAPTER IV
UNFAIR CONTRACTUAL TERMS RELATED TO DATA ACCESS AND USE BETWEEN ENTERPRISESArticles 13 — 13
CHAPTER V
MAKING DATA AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC SECTOR BODIES, THE COMMISSION, THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK AND UNION BODIES ON THE BASIS OF AN EXCEPTIONAL NEEDArticles 14 — 22
CHAPTER VI
SWITCHING BETWEEN DATA PROCESSING SERVICESArticles 23 — 31
CHAPTER VII
UNLAWFUL INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENTAL ACCESS AND TRANSFER OF NON-PERSONAL DATAArticles 32 — 32
CHAPTER VIII
INTEROPERABILITYArticles 33 — 36
CHAPTER IX
IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENTArticles 37 — 42
CHAPTER X
SUI GENERIS RIGHT UNDER DIRECTIVE 96/9/ECArticles 43 — 43
CHAPTER XI
FINAL PROVISIONSArticles 44 — 50
DA Article 29. Gradual withdrawal of switching charges
- 1.From 12 January 2027, providers of data processing services shall not impose any switching charges on the customer for the switching process.
- 2.From 11 January 2024 to 12 January 2027, providers of data processing services may impose reduced switching charges on the customer for the switching process.
- 3.The reduced switching charges referred to in paragraph 2 shall not exceed the costs incurred by the provider of data processing services that are directly linked to the switching process concerned.
- 4.Before entering into a contract with a customer, providers of data processing services shall provide the prospective customer with clear information on the standard service fees and early termination penalties that might be imposed, as well as on the reduced switching charges that might be imposed during the timeframe referred to in paragraph 2.
- 5.Where relevant, providers of data processing services shall provide information to a customer on data processing services that involve highly complex or costly switching or for which it is impossible to switch without significant interference in the data, digital assets or service architecture.
- 6.Where applicable, providers of data processing services shall make the information referred to in paragraphs 4 and 5 publicly available to customers via a dedicated section of their website or in any other easily accessible way.
- 7.The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 45 to supplement this Regulation by establishing a monitoring mechanism for the Commission to monitor switching charges, imposed by providers of data processing services on the market to ensure that the withdrawal and reduction of switching charges, pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article are to be attained in accordance with the deadlines laid down in those paragraphs.
Relevant Recitals for this Article
Switching charges are charges imposed by providers of data processing services on the customers for the switching process. Typically, those charges are intended to pass on costs which the source provider of data processing services may incur because of the switching process to the customer who wishes to switch. Common examples of switching charges are costs related to the transit of data from one provider of data processing services to another or to an on-premises ICT infrastructure (data egress charges) or the costs incurred for specific support actions during the switching process. Unnecessarily high data egress charges and other unjustified charges unrelated to actual switching costs inhibit customers from switching, restrict the free flow of data, have the potential to limit competition and cause lock-in effects for the customers by reducing incentives to choose a different or additional service provider. Switching charges should therefore be abolished after three years from the date of entry into force of this Regulation. Providers of data processing services should be able to impose reduced switching charges up to that date.
A source provider of data processing services should be able to outsource certain tasks and compensate third-party entities in order to comply with the obligations provided for in this Regulation. A customer should not bear the costs arising from the outsourcing of services concluded by the source provider of data processing services during the switching process and such costs should be considered to be unjustified unless they cover work undertaken by the provider of data processing services at the customer’s request for additional support in the switching process which goes beyond the switching obligations of the provider as expressly provided for in this Regulation. Nothing in this Regulation prevents a customer from compensating third-party entities for support in the migration process or parties from agreeing on contracts for data processing services of a fixed duration, including proportionate early termination penalties to cover the early termination of such contracts, in accordance with Union or national law. In order to foster competition, the gradual withdrawal of the charges associated with switching between different providers of data processing services should specifically include data egress charges imposed by a provider of data processing services on a customer. Standard service fees for the provision of the data processing services themselves are not switching charges. Those standard service fees are not subject to withdrawal and remain applicable until the contract for the provision of the relevant services ceases to apply. This Regulation allows the customer to request the provision of additional services that go beyond the provider’s switching obligations under this Regulation. Those additional services, can be performed and charged for by the provider when they are performed at the customer’s request and the customer agrees to the price of those services in advance.