Apple Under Pressure to Remove Geo-Blocking Restrictions in the EU

The European Union has notified Apple that it may be violating EU anti-geo-blocking regulations with practices regarding its media services, giving the company one month to respond.

European Commisssion
The European Commission, in conjunction with the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network, today announced that it has formally notified Apple regarding potential breaches of the EU's anti-geo-blocking rules. This follows an investigation led by national consumer authorities from Belgium, Germany, and Ireland, coordinated by the European Commission. According to the Commission, Apple's practices appear to unlawfully restrict European consumers from accessing digital content based on their country of residence.

According to the CPC Network, consumers using Apple Media Services, such as the App Store, Apple Music, and Apple TV+, encounter different interfaces and content depending on their country of registration. This regional segmentation allegedly makes it difficult, if not impossible, for users to switch between country-specific versions of Apple's services, which may be in violation of the EU's Geo-blocking Regulation enacted in 2018, designed to protect the Digital Single Market.

A significant point of concern for the EU authorities are restrictions on downloading apps. The investigation found that the ‌App Store‌ does not allow users to download apps available in other EU countries. The EU maintains that consumers should be able to access and download apps offered in other EU/EEA countries when traveling or staying temporarily in another member state.

Consumers are also only permitted to use credit or debit cards issued in the country where their Apple account was created. The Commission argues that consumers should be able to use any EU-issued payment method without facing unnecessary barriers.

Apple has been given one month to formally respond to the Commission's findings and to propose potential commitments to align its practices with EU regulations. If Apple does not adequately address the concerns raised by the CPC Network, the company may face enforcement actions. The European Commission's latest action against Apple is part of a broader push to ensure that tech giants operating within the EU comply with the bloc's regulatory frameworks.

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Top Rated Comments

Contact_Feanor Avatar
9 months ago

Goodbye EU. Not nice working with you!
For some things the EU is clearly pushing too far, but this is very fair. There's been a single market for literally decades; apple still feels the need to geoblock. I bought a Vision Pro 50 miles from my house just across the border, and can't use any of my apple accounts on it because Music and TV geoblock... it's ridiculous
Score: 67 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
9 months ago
Geoblocking is trash. No exceptions.
Score: 66 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Contact_Feanor Avatar
9 months ago

Why should the EU try to force their regulations into other non EU countries...

What if the EU made a regulation that was illegal in America...
Then Apple would be in trouble in the US...

Something needs to be done regarding the EU's practices and "forcing" third party app stores...
Errr, European countries have to abide by American law if they want to sell in America, this is no different. If the EU made a regulation that was illegal in America, then Apple has to follow EU law in the EU and American law in the US. there's nothing particularly weird or unique about that.
Score: 65 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Koudspeel Avatar
9 months ago
Seems like a logical thing to tackle by the EU. Good job.
Score: 61 Votes (Like | Disagree)
markfc Avatar
9 months ago
Yeah and make all my DVD’s region free while you’re at it ?
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
9 months ago

Either way, Apple shouldn't be forced to make something available in a country they don't want to.
They aren't forced to do anything. They choose to operate in the EU, therefor they are choosing to follow the rules and laws. Apple isn't special, nor is any other corporation..you follow the rules where you do business. it's always been the case, and should stay that way.

It's no different than if you or I travel to another country, we must follow the law of the said country, not of the country where you are from.
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)