EU Fines Apple and Meta Under New Digital Competition Rules
European regulators have fined Apple and Meta hundreds of millions of euros as they ramp up enforcement of the European Union’s new digital competition laws.
On Wednesday, the European Commission levied a €500 million ($890 million) fine against Apple for restricting app developers from directing users to more affordable alternatives outside of the App Store.
Meta Platforms was also fined €200 million ($356 million) for requiring Facebook and Instagram users to choose between viewing ads or paying a fee to avoid them.
While substantial, the fines are smaller than the multi-billion-euro penalties the Commission has previously imposed on major tech companies in antitrust cases. The rulings had been anticipated in March but were delayed, reportedly due to rising trade tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized the EU’s regulatory actions against American firms.
New Rules for the Digital Market
The penalties were issued under the EU’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA), a sweeping set of regulations aimed at increasing competition and curbing the dominance of tech giants. The DMA outlines specific obligations for so-called digital “gatekeepers” to ensure consumers and businesses have more freedom in how they use online services.
“The Digital Markets Act ensures that citizens retain full control over their data and that businesses are free to engage directly with their customers,” said Henna Virkkunen, the Commission’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty.
“Today’s rulings confirm that Apple and Meta denied users this freedom of choice and must adjust their practices,” she added.
Apple pushed back against the decision, claiming it was being unfairly singled out. The company said it has invested “hundreds of thousands of engineering hours” and implemented numerous changes to comply with the DMA.
Meta’s global affairs chief, Joel Kaplan, also criticized the ruling, stating, “The Commission is trying to penalize successful American companies while letting European and Chinese firms operate under different standards.”
