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Dutch Watchdog Fines Apple For 10th Time

By  |  March 28, 2022

The Dutch consumer watchdog on Monday levied a 10th weekly fine against Apple for failure to comply with an order to make it possible for dating app providers in the Netherlands to use non-Apple payment methods.

The Authority for Consumers and Markets said its fines against the company in the long-running dispute now total 50 million euros ($55 million), the maximum possible under its current order.

Related: Apple’s Fines In Dutch Antitrust Case Could Exceed €50M

It said Apple had submitted a new proposal for complying with the order on Sunday – a move the watchdog said it welcomed but that came too late to avoid the fine.

Apple’s practice of requiring developers to use its system and pay commissions of 15-30% on digital goods purchases has come under scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers around the world.

Although the Dutch case is limited to dating apps in the Netherlands, it could set a precedent for the US company, which has denied wrongdoing. The ACM has been levying weekly fines against the company in the dispute since January.

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