EU Not Reassessing Apple and Google Antitrust Investigations, But New Administration Could Shift Priorities

The European Union is "reassessing" its investigations into big U.S. tech companies like Apple, Meta, and Google, claims Financial Times, though a spokesperson from the European Commission has denied that such a review is taking place.

App Store vs EU Feature 2
Tech CEOs like Apple's Tim Cook and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg have been cozying up to president-elect Donald Trump as he prepares to take office, and Financial Times suggests that probes launched under the Digital Markets Act could be scaled back. A senior EU diplomat told the site that "So much is up in the air right now," while other officials said that regulators are holding for "political direction" to make final decisions in cases involving Apple, Google, and Meta.

A spokesperson for the European Commission told Financial Times that there is "no such review taking place," but that the EC has "upcoming meetings to assess the general readiness of an investigation." None of the cases are "ready at a technical level," but the EC remains "fully committed to the effective enforcement of its rules."

The European Commission launched an investigation into Apple's compliance with the Digital Markets Act last year, and determined that it was not in compliance. A November report suggested that the European Commission is gearing up to fine Apple for failing to implement changes allowing developers to steer users to cheaper prices outside of the App Store.

Apple overhauled its ‌App Store‌ rules in Europe in 2024, and made several changes to satisfy regulators. European developers are able to distribute apps outside of the ‌App Store‌, and there are new fee structures and policies in place.

The EU in 2024 fined Apple $2 billion for anticompetitive behavior against third-party music services, and if Apple is fined over DMA non-compliance, the fee could be higher. Under the DMA, the European Union is able to fine Apple up to 10 percent of its global annual sales.

Back in October, Trump claimed that Cook called him to complain about penalties from the European Union. At the time, Trump said that he is "not going to let them take advantage of our companies."

With Margrethe Vestager and Thierry Breton having stepped down from the European Commission, priorities could change. The EC's chief spokesperson said that there could be a "political reality" that "puts pressure on the technical work." The EC "will be looking and assessing on the basis of concrete measures and actions from the new administration."

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Top Rated Comments

frownface Avatar
4 weeks ago
i've said it before, and i'll say it again. I don't remember the EU being this proactive back when european companies nokia and ericsson owned the majority of the market
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
entropys Avatar
4 weeks ago
Fascinating that this seems more driven by political leadership in both the EU and USA, and whether anything happens at all depending on who it is in power and what their reaction might be.

It isn’t about corporate behaviour at all.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Unregistered 4U Avatar
4 weeks ago
Vestager was trying to rush to get things done as she knew that her term was ending. And it was ending due to poor decisions she’d made elsewhere, and she just kept making poor decisions.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vantelimus Avatar
4 weeks ago
This was never about competition, fair play, and protecting consumers. It has been EU protectionism and the anti-business ideology of a career bureaucrat. With Vestager gone, she won't be blocking mergers that have the chance to produce European industrial champions that can compete on the world stage. I'm sure the EU General Court will be happy to no longer spend time annulling her decisions.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
surferfb Avatar
4 weeks ago

"compete on the world stage". While users suffer, but as long as corporations get bigger than governments, who cares about people, right?
Vestager was actively making Apple’s products worse for end users. Full stop. Just because she dressed it up with lies that “Alternate App Stores will be make prices lower for consumers” doesn’t change that fact that Apple’s products are worse because of her.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arkitect Avatar
4 weeks ago

The EU has to know Trump is very transactional. American-based tech companies donated to his inaugural fund, and they expect things in return.

Now sure, the EU could continue to go after Apple and Google if they want, but they do need to be cognizant of the American situation, and a wrong move could result in tariffs.
You mean, held hostage? Blackmail?
My my… America.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)