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Apple Appeals €500 Million EU Fine Over App Store Restrictions

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Apple has officially filed a lawsuit challenging a €500 million ($587 million) antitrust fine imposed by the European Commission, contesting claims it violated the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The tech giant submitted the appeal on Monday, the final day to do so, at the EU’s General Court, the bloc’s second-highest legal authority.

The Commission ruled in April 2025 that Apple had unlawfully restricted app developers from directing users to cheaper payment options outside the App Store, a practice viewed as anti-competitive under the DMA.

In a public statement, Apple argued that the decision “goes far beyond what the law requires,” adding that the imposed fine was “unprecedented” and that the Commission is now effectively mandating how we run our store. Apple said it changed its policies to avoid daily fines of up to €50 million, or 5% of its average global daily revenue.

Despite modifying its App Store rules last month to comply with EU regulations, Apple insists the changes were made under protest, calling the Commission’s stance “confusing for developers and bad for users.” The company maintains that its original policies were fair and necessary for maintaining quality and user safety within the App Store ecosystem.

The European Commission has begun gathering feedback from developers to assess whether Apple’s revised App Store practices meet the obligations of the DMA. A decision on whether further changes will be required is still pending.

The case represents a significant moment in the EU’s broader campaign to rein in the influence of Big Tech, using the DMA to challenge gatekeeper platforms like Apple, Meta, Google, and Amazon. It also marks one of the first major legal battles under the DMA framework, setting a precedent for how tech firms may operate across the EU going forward.

Google Proposes New Search Changes to Avoid EU Antitrust Fine

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Google has submitted a new proposal aimed at addressing complaints from rivals and avoiding a possible European Union antitrust fine, Reuters has learned from a confidential document. This comes ahead of a critical July 7-8 meeting in Brussels with the European Commission and competitors.

The proposal, referred to as “Option B,” offers an alternative to an earlier plan presented last week. It suggests displaying two boxes on Google’s search results page: a vertical search service (VSS) box featuring links to specialized search engines for hotels, airlines, restaurants, and transport, and below it, a separate box listing free links to individual suppliers in those categories. Google would manage the supplier information but the setup aims to avoid the VSS box being dominated by Google’s own services.

This proposal seeks to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which targets large tech companies to prevent unfair self-preferencing and foster competition. Google has already made hundreds of product changes under the DMA framework.

Despite the efforts, Google remains concerned that some DMA requirements could degrade online user experience in Europe. If found in violation of the DMA, Google could face fines up to 10% of its global annual revenue.

EU Digital Rules Hurting Innovation and European Users

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Google is warning that the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA)—a sweeping antitrust law targeting Big Tech—is stifling innovation and leading to worse experiences for European consumers and businesses. The message will be delivered Tuesday at a European Commission workshop convened to allow Google critics to voice concerns and seek clarity.

Google’s legal team will argue that the new regulatory demands, intended to reduce the dominance of platforms like Google Shopping and Google Flights, are backfiring. According to Clare Kelly, one of Google’s lawyers, the company’s efforts to comply have resulted in clunky interfaces, higher ticket prices, and a 30% drop in direct booking traffic for airlines, hotels, and restaurants across Europe.

“We remain genuinely concerned about real world consequences of the DMA, which are leading to worse online products and experiences for Europeans,” Kelly is expected to say, according to remarks seen by Reuters.

The Digital Markets Act, which came into force in March 2024, imposes strict obligations on companies designated as “gatekeepers”, like Alphabet’s Google, Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and ByteDance. Violations can result in fines up to 10% of global annual revenue.

In response to DMA scrutiny, Google has modified its search display to better highlight rival services, but critics say the changes don’t go far enough to ensure genuine competition. Google’s Oliver Bethell will call on regulators to provide clearer compliance guidelines to avoid delays and uncertainty.

“If we can understand precisely what compliance looks like, not just in theory, but taking account of on-the-ground experience, we can launch compliant services quickly and confidently across the EEA,” Bethell will say.

He also challenges Google’s critics to provide evidence-based analysis of both the costs and benefits of proposed remedies. “We need help identifying the areas where we should focus,” Bethell will argue, urging for data-driven input that can be jointly assessed with the Commission.

The Commission’s workshop—attended by EU officials, competition experts, and Google rivals—aims to clarify compliance expectations and evaluate whether the DMA is achieving its stated goals without unintended negative consequences.