Apple has appealed a €500 million ($586 million) fine imposed by the European Commission, contesting accusations that it violated EU competition laws by limiting developers’ ability to steer users toward alternative deals outside its App Store.
In a statement on Monday, the tech giant rejected the Commission’s decision as excessive and “unprecedented,” claiming the ruling demands changes that are “confusing for developers and bad for users.”
“As our appeal will show, the Commission is mandating how we run our store and forcing business terms which are confusing for developers and bad for users,” Apple said. “We implemented this to avoid punitive daily fines and will share the facts with the Court.”
The dispute stems from Apple’s long-standing control over how developers communicate with customers about alternative payment options or subscriptions available outside its platform. The Commission ruled in April that this practice breached the bloc’s competition rules.
The fine is among the first major penalties under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which enforces tougher standards on digital “gatekeepers” like Apple, Meta, and Google. The law aims to foster consumer choice and market competition in digital services and allows for fines up to 10% of a company’s global revenue for noncompliance.
A spokesperson for the Commission confirmed that it had received Apple’s court filing and said it would “defend its decision” in court.
Paolo Pescatore, a tech analyst with PP Foresight, described the appeal as “a widely expected move” that underscores the complexity of implementing regulatory changes.
“It is disappointing that it now has to be settled in a long, drawn-out public process,” he said. “The devil is in the detail.”
Apple also pushed back against additional concessions required by the EU, including creating separate tiers of services. The company claims such changes would increase friction for users and developers alike.
Apple has taken its case to the EU’s General Court, the bloc’s second-highest judicial body.
The Commission’s action against Apple came alongside a €200 million fine against Meta for its “consent or pay” model another major test of the DMA’s enforcement power.
Henna Virkkunen, the Commission’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, said both Apple and Meta had “undermined the key principles” of the DMA, which seeks to ensure digital fairness and freedom of choice.
Apple has accused regulators of shifting expectations during negotiations and argued that it’s being “unfairly targeted” and forced to “give away our technology for free.”
The EU’s hard stance on US tech giants has also drawn criticism from former US President Donald Trump, who earlier this year called the bloc’s treatment of American firms “a form of taxation.” He said Apple CEO Tim Cook had personally complained to him about the Commission’s actions.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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