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

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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.

EU starts proceedings to assist Google in complying with tech rules

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The European Commission has launched formal proceedings aimed at assisting Google in complying with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, a landmark set of rules designed to curb the market power of large technology companies. The move signals closer engagement between EU regulators and Alphabet’s Google as the bloc enforces its new digital competition framework.

The Commission said the proceedings are intended to clarify how Google can meet its obligations under the DMA, which requires designated gatekeepers to ensure fair competition and greater openness in digital markets. Google has already taken steps to comply, including licensing certain search data to competitors and maintaining that its Android operating system is open by design.

However, Google warned that additional requirements could have unintended consequences. A senior company lawyer said some rules appear to be driven by complaints from rivals rather than consumer interests, and argued that excessive constraints could undermine user privacy, security and innovation.

The case highlights the balancing act facing EU regulators as they seek to rein in Big Tech while avoiding measures that could disrupt services used by millions of consumers and businesses across Europe.

Apple Faces EU Antitrust Complaint Over App Store and iOS Restrictions

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Apple is facing a new antitrust complaint in the European Union, filed jointly by civil rights organizations Article 19 and Germany’s Society for Civil Rights. The complaint, submitted to the European Commission, accuses Apple of breaching the Digital Markets Act (DMA) through restrictive App Store terms and device policies that limit interoperability and competition.

The complaint argues that Apple’s conditions for developers — including a €1 million stand-by letter of credit (SBLC) — create barriers for small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to distribute or install third-party apps on iOS and iPadOS. The groups claim such practices violate the DMA’s goal of ensuring fair access and consumer choice in digital markets.

Apple rejected the allegations, stating that its rules protect users and developers by maintaining high security and quality standards. The company said it had proposed changes to its credit requirements, but that the European Commission asked it not to proceed.

The European Commission confirmed it is reviewing the complaint as part of its ongoing supervision of “gatekeeper” companies under the DMA. The law allows regulators to impose fines of up to 10% of a company’s global annual revenue for noncompliance — a significant threat for Apple, which was fined €500 million earlier this year for other App Store violations.