The European Commission (EC) is re-evaluating its investigations into tech giants Apple, Google, and Meta, Financial Times has reported.
This review encompasses cases initiated since March 2024 under the European Union (EU) Digital Markets Act (DMA), the news publication said citing officials familiar with the matter.
This move comes after US companies, including Meta, urged President-elect Donald Trump to challenge enforcement by EU regulators.
With the EC starting a new five-year term and Trump preparing to assume office on 20 January 2025, the reviews could potentially reshape the scope or intensity of ongoing probes.
“It’s going to be a whole new ballgame with these tech oligarchs so close to Trump and using that to pressurise us. So much is up in the air right now,” a senior EU diplomat said.
While the review is ongoing, decisions and potential fines are paused, though technical work on the cases will continue, the news publication added.
The investigations in question vary in progress, with some still in the early stages, while others, such as a probe into Google’s alleged favouritism toward its app store, had been nearing formal charges.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently criticised the EU’s regulatory approach, highlighting $30bn in fines levied against US tech companies over two decades.
Zuckerberg also expressed confidence that Trump’s administration would prioritise defending American tech abroad.
However; the EC insists that the review reflects the complexity and novelty of the cases rather than political pressure.
These reviews occur amidst broader efforts by Brussels to regulate big tech through the DMA and Digital Services Act.
“EC to re-evaluate investigations against Apple, Google, and Meta” was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand.
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