Apple is reportedly about to face a fine from the EU over alleged violations of the DMA (Digital Markets Act). The move would mark the first major act by the EU against Apple since President Trump took office and warned against EU interference with US companies.
Apple expected to receive ‘modest’ fine from EU for its alleged DMA shortcomings
Foo Yun Chee writes for Reuters:
Apple and Meta Platforms are set to face modest fines for allegedly breaching landmark rules aimed at reining in their power, people with direct knowledge of the matter said on Monday.
Both companies have been in the European Commission’s crosshairs since last year for potential breaches of the Digital Markets Act which could cost companies as much as 10% of their global annual sales.
We had heard previously that the EU was about to come to a decision regarding Apple’s compliance with the DMA. EU competition chief Teresa Ribera was said to have a ruling ready by the end of March, and now it seems that timeline will be met.
As Reuters notes, Apple won’t be the only American company to face “modest fines” from the EU. Meta will apparently be subject to a similar penalty.
Just a couple weeks ago, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek advocated strongly for the EU bringing decisive judgment against Apple for what he called its “farce” of compliance.
Previously, Apple has pushed back against criticism that its compliance doesn’t hold up to the DMA’s legal demands or intent. But the EU has been going through a lengthy evaluation process to decide whether to pursue further action against the company or not.
In late January, US President Trump blasted the EU for targeting American tech companies with fines. If a new fine does get imposed on Apple this month, it will represent the first opportunity to see if Trump’s administration will handle EU action differently than Biden’s did.
It’s unclear just how “modest” these fines will be, but it’s always possible the EU plans to give Apple what amounts to a slap on the wrist: a small fine that shows it’s taken action, but that’s unlikely to motivate much opposition from Apple or the US administration.
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