Apple Asks EU To Scrap Digital Competition Law
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Apple asked the European Union to scrap its landmark digital competition law on Thursday, arguing that it poses security risks and creates a “worse experience” for consumers.
“The DMA should be repealed while a more appropriate fit for purpose legislative instrument is put in place,” Apple said in a formal submission to the European Commission as part of a consultation on the law.
The latest clash came as President Donald Trump sought to pressure the EU over decisions and laws affecting US Big Tech — with key industry figures, including Apple chief Tim Cook, moving closer to the White House since Trump’s return to power.
“It’s become clear that the DMA is leading to a worse experience for Apple users in the EU,” the tech giant said in a blog post accompanying its submission. “It’s exposing them to new risks, and disrupting the simple, seamless way their Apple products work together.”
The DMA challenges Apple’s closed ecosystem, but Brussels argues that it is necessary to do so to level the playing field for Apple’s rivals and avoid unfair market domination.
The law tells Big Tech firms what they can and cannot do on their platforms. For example, companies must offer choice screens for web browsers and search engines to give users more options.
Violations of the DMA can lead to hefty fines.
Apple says dangers are posed when Europeans can download app marketplaces that rival its App Store.
The giant also cites an increasing number of complaints from users about DMA-related changes, but has not provided exact figures.
It argued in its 25-page submission that the EU’s law had forced it to delay new features in the bloc.
The technology was launched this month in the United States, but Apple says it must undertake further engineering work to ensure users’ privacy in the EU.
Under the DMA, companies, including Apple, must make sure their products can work seamlessly with third-party devices such as earphones.
The commission said it was “normal” for companies sometimes to need more time to make sure their products were in line with the new law and that it was helping them comply.
DMA enforcement began in March 2024, and the EU’s consultation on the first review of the law ended just before midnight on Wednesday.
Independent of the digital rules, Apple has faced the heat under different EU competition rules. Brussels slapped it with a 1.8-billion-euro fine in March 2024.
AFP
