Published on
ADVERTISEMENT
Apple argues that the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) is politically motivated and unfairly targets the tech company, alleging that it has been unfairly targeted by European regulators since early 2023.
The claims will likely fuel US administration concerns that European regulators are unfairly targeting US tech companies.
In a surprising move, Donald Trump threatened late August to impose “substantial additional tariffs” on countries imposing digital taxes on American tech companies, unless the legislation is removed.
In its submission to a European Commission questionnaire, Apple called for the repeal of the rules and the creation of a more suitable legislative instrument.
The DMA imposes certain competition rules on tech giants identified as ‘gatekeepers’ to make the market more competitive.
Apple argues that the Commission has a disproportionate focus on Apple due to external pressures and political enforcement agendas, treating the DMA as a weapon against Apple.
Seven gatekeepers were identified in 2023 and 2024 under the DMA: Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, ByteDance, and Booking.com.
Apple and Meta face fines in April for non-compliance with the DMA, involving restrictions on developers communicating with consumers and steering them to alternative channels.
Donald Trump’s administration criticises enforcement of EU digital rules, emphasizing they are agnostic to digital platforms designated as “gatekeepers.”
The EU Commission emphasizes DMA compliance as an obligation, stating gatekeepers, including Apple, must allow third-party device interoperability with their operating systems.
The DMA review must be conducted by May 2026 and every three years thereafter.
Source: http://www.euronews.com/next/2025/09/25/apple-claims-its-unfairly-targeted-by-eu-competition-rules
