The European Union has summarily rejected to repeal and replace its Digital Markets Act (DMA), the law that governs much about how giant tech companies must operate within the 27-nation bloc. As by France 24, EU digital affairs spokesperson Thomas Regnier responded to Apple’s open letter regarding the DMA’s effect on users in the EU.
“Apple has simply contested every little bit of the DMA since its entry into application,” said Regnier. He added that the Commission had “absolutely no intention” of dismantling the DMA. The landmark legislation was in an effort to rein in the ever-growing reach and power of big tech and to level the playing field for smaller would-be competitors.
Since then, Apple has found itself in hot water in the EU over its , and its . Earlier this year, the Commission approximately $570 million for anti-competitive activities, which the company is .
This summer, the Commission opened a period of for the DMA with a deadline for submission of September 24. Apple , while also taking the time to publicly decry the DMA through a .
In the post, Apple says “it’s become clear that the DMA is leading to a worse experience for Apple users in the EU.” The company says it is “urging regulators to take a closer look at how the law is affecting the EU citizens who use Apple products every day,” alleging that the implementation of these laws is opening users to higher risks of scams, exposure to harmful apps and weakened security surrounding user data.
The back-and-forth over the DMA and the hefty fines being levied against big tech companies has become part of the political discourse amid trade negotiations between the US and the EU. President Donald Trump at American companies facing such heavy fines, and The Wall Street Journal alleged that the EU was using these fines in part as a in trade negotiations.
