Apple and Meta have fiercely criticized the European Union after being hit with a combined €700m in fines, the first issued under the EU’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA) designed to rein in big tech's power.
Apple was fined €500m over breaches related to its App Store practices. The European Commission found that Apple failed to allow developers and users free access to alternative app marketplaces, contrary to the DMA’s requirements. Meanwhile, Meta was fined €200m for its controversial "consent or pay" model that forced users to either allow extensive data collection across Facebook and Instagram or pay a subscription fee, a model the Commission says does not allow for true consent.
“We have a duty to protect the rights of citizens and innovative businesses in Europe,” Commissioner Henna Virkkunen said in a statement. EU spokesperson Arianna Podesta emphasized that the enforcement actions are separate from any ongoing trade tensions with the United States.
Both Apple and Meta responded furiously. Apple accused the Commission of forcing it to “give away our technology for free” and said officials had “moved the goalposts” during discussions. Meta said the EU was attempting to "handicap successful American businesses," claiming the ruling effectively amounts to a “multi-billion-dollar tariff” while allowing Chinese and European competitors to operate under different standards.
The fines are smaller than previous high-profile EU penalties such as Google’s €2.4bn fine last year but significant given the current fraught economic relations between the EU and the US. President Donald Trump's administration had recently criticized Europe’s tech regulations, and US tariffs on EU imports remain in place, adding a layer of tension to the dispute.
Legal experts note that this disagreement is less about antitrust principles and more about European authorities dictating corporate behavior on European soil. Anne Witt, professor of law at EDHEC Business School, remarked that the Commission’s firm stance demonstrates it "will not back down" from regulating US tech giants.
Meanwhile, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney welcomed the Apple ruling, calling it "great news for app developers worldwide" and urging similar reforms in the US to loosen Apple’s App Store dominance.
However, not everyone agreed with the EU’s moves. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, partly funded by big tech firms, argued that the Commission's actions were about extracting revenue from US companies rather than promoting fair competition.
The UK is also moving against major tech firms, investigating Apple and Google under its new digital competition laws targeting companies with significant market power.
Despite the fines, the disputes are far from over. Both Apple and Meta have 60 days to comply with the Commission’s demands or face even larger penalties, setting the stage for further clashes between Brussels and Silicon Valley.
