European Union antitrust regulators have identified a number of “very serious” issues with Apple’s business practices that could violate EU digital business law, competition authority Chair Margrethe Vestager warned on Tuesday.
Apple faces ongoing scrutiny over its App Store practices in Europe, with EU authorities probing whether the company is fully complying with rules that require it to allow third-party developers to “steer” customers to cheaper products outside its own App Store.
Vestager said the European Commission was close to publishing the results of an investigation into the Digital Markets Act, which came into force in March and aims to rein in the behaviour of tech giants designated as internet “gatekeepers”.
“There are a lot of issues with Apple. I think they are very serious. I’m surprised that Apple would be suspected of not following the rules.” Vestager said in an interview with CNBC..
“[Apple is] “This is very important because a lot of good business is done through the App Store and through payment mechanisms, so of course we understand that this is not what you would expect from a company like this, but of course we will do it with exactly the same dedication and priority as any other business,” Vestager added.
Vestager did not provide details about the findings of the investigation, which were first announced in March, but said the results would be made public “hopefully soon.”
Representatives for Apple did not immediately respond to The Washington Post’s request for comment.
The remarks surfaced a few days later. The Financial Times reported. The European Commission is preparing to file formal charges against Apple for alleged anti-competitive practices in its App Store.
The charges mark the first time that EU regulators have pursued a major technology company for violating the DMA.
Apple could still avoid the charges by making concessions to appease regulators, according to reports.
If the company is found to have violated the law, it could be fined up to 5% of its average daily global turnover, or just over $1 billion per day, according to the Financial Times.
The European Commission first announced it was investigating Apple in March and is also conducting separate investigations into other tech companies, including Google and Meta.
When the investigation was first announced, EU authorities said they were looking into whether Apple’s compliance plans, which include imposing a “core technology fee” to maintain access to the App Store, were “contrary to the objectives” of the DMA.
On Tuesday, Apple avoided a hefty fine in a separate EU antitrust case over claims it stifled competition by making concessions to promote its contactless payments service, Apple Pay. The Financial Times reported..
