Apple in last-minute talks with EU to avoid fresh DMA fines

Stay Informed

Get Industry News In Your Inbox…

Sign Up Today

Apple is in last-minute talks with EU regulators to adjust its App Store policies and avoid further fines under the Digital Markets Act. 

As reported by the Financial Times, this follows a €500 million ($570m) penalty for breaching the law, as the company faces increasing pressure from Brussels to comply.

The iPhone maker is expected to offer concessions on its “steering” rules, which currently restrict users from accessing external offers outside the App Store. 

EU regulators had given the company two months to comply following the fine, with the deadline to avoid further penalties set to expire this Thursday.

Now, Apple faces escalating fines of up to 5% of its average daily global revenue if it fails to comply with EU rules. To avoid this, the company is expected to announce concessions that could buy it more time, as regulators would need to review any changes before deciding on further penalties.

Deadline approaching 

Negotiations have also addressed Apple’s controversial “Core Technology Fee,” which charges developers per annual install after 1m downloads. The EU has been examining this policy since June 2023 and may either escalate the investigation or decide to close it.

The European Commission confirmed it is in close talks with Apple to ensure compliance with the Digital Markets Act but declined to comment on the outcome ahead of the June 26th deadline.