Bundesnetzagentur designates first association entitled to bring an action under the P2B Regulation
Year of issue 2026
Date of issue 2026.03.16
The Bundesnetzagentur has today designated the Bundesverband Onlinehandel e.V. (BVOH) as the first German association charged with bringing proceedings under the European Platform-to-business Regulation (P2B Regulation). As an association with legal standing, the BVOH can represent its members in court and bring representative actions before the competent national courts within the European Union.
Business users often experience for instance that individual products from the range they offer on online platforms are no longer displayed, also known as delisting, and no statement of reasons is given as required under the P2B Regulation. A complaint and subsequent dispute settlement via the online platform’s internal complaint management system are often unsuccessful. The BVOH can now bring legal action in its own name without having to reveal the identity of the undertakings involved. This means that the rights of business users can be effectively enforced without any fear of incurring disadvantages in their business relations.
The BVOH, which is based in Dresden, represents the interests of online retailers and brand manufacturers, notably small and medium-sized businesses.
The Bundesnetzagentur is responsible for enforcing the P2B Regulation
Since May 2024, the Bundesnetzagentur has been responsible for enforcing the P2B Regulation under the German Digital Services Act (DDG). This applies irrespective of where the online platform is based, provided the business user affected has their registered office or residence in Germany. The Bundesnetzagentur's tasks include designating associations that have the right to bring proceedings.
At the request of the BVOH, the Bundesnetzagentur checked whether it met the requirements to be designated under Article 14 of the P2B Regulation. In particular these requirements include the pursuit of objectives that are in the collective interest of business users, that the association is of a non-profit making character and is independent of any third-party financing.
Platform-to-business Regulation
The P2B Regulation aims to ensure a fair, predictable and trustworthy online business environment. Introduced at European level in 2020, the Regulation contains provisions on information and transparency as well as rules on out-of-court dispute settlements. Its primary intention is to offer protection to business users of digital services, such as those offering goods or services in online marketplaces or in app stores.
More information on the P2B Regulation can be found at www.bundesnetzagentur.de/p2b.
Business users can submit P2B-related complaints to the Bundesnetzagentur at www.bundesnetzagentur.de/p2b-formular.