EU fines Apple and Meta

The European Union has imposed fine fines on two technology giants, Apple and Meta, for violating new competition regulations on the digital market. The historic decision is the first taken on the basis of the Digital Trade Act (DMA), a new law aimed at boosting transparency and elections for consumers within the EU.

Apple has been fined 500m euros for limiting app developers to inform users of the freest purchase opportunities outside App Store. The European Commission named this practice as the <x0-blocking competition and harmful to consumers”.

Meanwhile, Meta, the Facebook and Instagram mother company, was punished with 200m euros for its new policies that forced users to choose between sDecent advertising or payment to avoid them an approach that the EU considers unjust and restrictive.

European officials agreed that the announcement of decisions was postponed due to increasing trade tensions with US President Donald Trump's administration, which has sharply criticised EU policies affecting American companies.

Reactions from companies have not been missed where Apple accused the Commission of unjust “treatment”, stressing that it has invested heavily in accordance with the new law and made significant changes to its operating system and App Store.

Meta, through global affairs chief Joel Kaplan, said: The “Commission is trying to harm successful American companies, while applying different standards to European and Chinese companies. ”

This decision is expected to have broad impact on the way technology giants operate on the European market, while the EU prepares to rigorously implement new laws for a more fair and open digital economy.