European Commission: we will soon present decisions regarding Apple and Meta

The spokesperson for the European Commission Lea Zuber expressed hope on Thursday that the EC will soon present decisions in the ongoing proceedings against Apple and Meta. According to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), both companies face fines of up to 10% of their global turnover.

The DMA regulates the activities of large online platforms in the EU. The aim of this regulation is to limit the dominant role of the largest digital companies, referred to as “gatekeepers,” and to ensure greater competitiveness in the digital market. This concerns, among others, enterprises whose annual turnover in the EU exceeds 7.5 billion euros and whose number of users exceeds 45 million monthly.

The EC initiated proceedings against Apple and Meta in March 2024. Apple is accused of restricting access in its app stores to offers not related to the company. Meanwhile, the proceedings against Meta were initiated in connection with the introduction of a mechanism on its platforms that gives users a choice: to consent to the processing of personal data and receive personalized ads or to pay to avoid seeing ads.

A year ago, the EC announced that it intended to conclude the proceedings within 12 months. However, the deadline announced by the EC has passed.

The EC spokesperson was asked on Thursday whether the EC would wait 90 days to announce a decision in both proceedings. The end of these proceedings coincided with the confusion surrounding tariffs imposed on trading partners, including the EU, by the administration of Donald Trump.

Although the EU states that issues related to big tech regulations are not subject to trade negotiations, the decision regarding the two American giants may influence tariff discussions between Washington and Brussels. There is an expectation that trade negotiations will gain momentum now, after Trump announced a suspension of certain tariffs for 90 days; the EU also decided on Thursday to suspend retaliatory tariffs.

Zuber responded to reporters in Brussels that the deadline for concluding the proceedings against big techs, as defined in the DMA, is flexible.

As she suggested, the proceedings are taking longer because the DMA is a new regulation that provides the EC with new tools. “We need to conduct these proceedings thoroughly and prepare our decisions carefully. We would not want these decisions to be overturned in courts, so we are keen to make them legally unassailable,” she said.

“I hope that we will be able to present them soon,” added the EC spokesperson. (04.11.2025)