Apple Ads and Apple Maps not designated under EU Digital Markets Act

The European Commission said on Thursday that Apple’s advertising and mapping services will not be designated as gatekeepers under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, citing their relatively low usage and limited market impact across Europe.

In a statement, the Commission said it had concluded that Apple does not meet the criteria for gatekeeper status in relation to Apple Ads and Apple Maps. Regulators said neither service acts as an important gateway for business users seeking to reach end users in the European market.

“These platform services do not constitute an important gateway for business users to reach end users,” the Commission said, explaining that the DMA designation is reserved for services with significant scale, entrenched market positions and a strong ability to influence competition.

Apple welcomed the decision, saying its services face robust competition in Europe. “These services face significant competition in Europe, and we’re pleased the Commission recognized they do not meet the criteria for designation under the Digital Markets Act,” the company said in a statement.

The DMA is one of the world’s most far-reaching regulatory frameworks aimed at curbing the market power of major technology companies. It imposes strict obligations on so-called gatekeepers to prevent anti-competitive practices and to make it easier for users and businesses to switch between rival services, including social networks, web browsers and app stores.

Apple is already subject to DMA obligations for other parts of its ecosystem, including its App Store and mobile operating system. Thursday’s decision narrows the scope of additional regulatory requirements the company will face in Europe, at a time when Big Tech firms remain under intense scrutiny from EU competition authorities.