Dutch Regulator Rejects Apple’s Appeals Against €50 Million Fine

The Dutch competition watchdog, ACM (Authority for Consumers and Markets), announced on Monday that it has dismissed Apple’s objections to the 50 million euros ($53 million) in fines imposed on the tech giant. These fines were issued due to Apple’s failure to comply with orders aimed at curbing the dominant position of the Apple App Store in the Netherlands.

In 2021, the ACM ruled that Apple had violated Dutch competition laws within the dating app market. As a result, they required Apple to permit developers of dating apps to utilize third-party payment processors, reported Reuters.

The authority levied a fine of 5 million euros per week, ultimately accumulating to 50 million euros during the period in which Apple failed to adhere to the directives.

Related: Dutch Regulator Still Unsatisfied With Apple’s Rules

While Apple did raise objections to these fines, disputing the regulator’s definition of relevant markets and disputing the extent of Apple’s dominance in the dating app market, ACM has rejected all of Apple’s contentions. The regulator’s decision, dated July 13, 2023, was made public on Monday.

Apple issued a response, stating, “We disagree with the ACM’s original order, which degrades investment incentives and is not in the best interests of our users’ privacy or data security. As the ACM has denied our administrative appeal, we will appeal to the Netherlands courts.”

ACM has also indicated that it will disclose the undisclosed portion of the proceedings objected to by Apple if the case proceeds to court. This ongoing dispute highlights the growing tensions between tech giants and regulatory bodies over issues of market dominance and competition.

For now, the battle between Apple and Dutch regulators is far from over, and it remains to be seen how the Dutch courts will adjudicate this high-stakes case.

Source: Reuters