If it's a matter of lobbying aka legal bribery, why are foreign companies disadvantaged? These American companies have no qualms about lobbying in America, they could do the same in the EU. If the EU officials prefer to serve the interests of EU companies despite lobbying from both of them, maybe it's because they earnestly believe EU interests are better served by EU companies?

> The reason this regulations went through easily is that they mostly target foreign operators.

Because 1) foreign operators do the fuck they want in unregulated markets such as the US and 2) there are no such operators in the EU because they have already been regulated

As someone intimately familiar with the underbelly of the system I can add 3) most of the local corrupting pressure historically came from smaller (than big tech) companies outside of tech so less of a spotlight on them in forums like this one. Think auto industry.

EU institutions tend to want to do the right thing but will easily cave to "lobbying" when it comes to regulation that hits too close to home. They will not hesitate to regulate to the benefit of the people when the regulation hits far from home, lobbying be damned.

In fewer words, they will accept to be corrupted by interests close to home and still put the well being of citizens at any other time.

Cars, Cheese and Wine ;)

Citation indeed needed strongly because the opposite is likely true. Same principle why retail wants as few suppliers as possible. Easier to assert your influence. It wouldn't even possible with large central entities where only the largest corps have access to. But it would be far easier to influence some key EU members compared to subsidiary institutions.

Huh? Where is the competitor to Google, Apple, Microsoft in the Eu.

The law doesn't even cover devices. It only covers online marketplaces and gatekeepers who control everything.