EU Commission Fines Apple and Meta for the Breach of Digital Markets Act

European Commission fined Apple and Meta 500 million and 200 million Euros respectively, for breach of Digital Markets Act (DMA)

- DR ARCHANA VERMA

Recently, the European Commission found that Apple breached its anti-steering obligation under the DMA. Meta breached the DMA obligation to give consumers the choice of a service that uses less of their data. Therefore, the Commission fined Apple and Meta 500 million and 200 million Euros respectively.

Non-Compliance Decision on Apple’s Steering Terms

Under the DMA, app developers distributing their apps via Apple’s App Store should be able to inform customers, free of charge, of alternative offers outside the App Store, steer them to those offers and allow them to make purchases.

The Commission found that Apple fails to comply with this obligation. Due to several restrictions imposed by Apple, app developers cannot fully benefit from the advantages of alternative distribution channels outside the App Store. Similarly, consumers cannot fully benefit from alternative and cheaper offers as Apple prevents app developers from directly informing consumers of such offers. The company has failed to demonstrate that these restrictions are objectively necessary and proportionate.