We already reported this nearly a month ago: the European Union is taking a cautious approach to its first sanctions related to the Digital Markets Act. As a reminder, a violation of the DMA allows Brussels to impose a fine of up to 10% of a company's global turnover. This ceiling is far from being reached: Apple has been fined €500m and Meta €200m. In addition to these measured sanctions, the two giants have been given 60 days to get back on track before facing potential daily penalties.
A context that goes beyond the legal sphere
As mentioned in our previous article, this leniency can largely be explained by the tense geopolitical context, with Donald Trump in the background. The US president is already threatening new tariffs, and Brussels seems keen to avoid any escalation by targeting US Big Tech too harshly. Trump has already described the European fines as "disguised taxes" and "extortion abroad."
Despite this diplomatic approach, the reactions of the companies concerned were not long in coming. Apple denounced the decision as "unfair" and claimed it was being forced to "give away its technology for free." The Cupertino-based company has announced its intention to appeal to the European courts. At Meta, the tone is even more aggressive: Joel Kaplan, head of public affairs, compares the fines to tariffs targeting "successful American companies," a statement clearly in line with Donald Trump's rhetoric. Here too, an appeal is planned.
The EU may still tighten the screws
These reactions reflect two things. First, it is unlikely that the current fines will be enough to push Apple and Meta to make significant changes to their practices. Second, both groups seem determined to align themselves with Donald Trump's stance, relying on American soft power to take advantage of the geopolitical context. However, if the companies still refuse to fully comply with the DMA, the European Commission could impose daily fines of up to $55m for Apple and $23m for Meta. Several European officials have stated that they will not hesitate to take action. This is a perfectly credible scenario, particularly given previous precedents: the EU has already forced Apple to adopt USB-C instead of its Lightning connectors and to offer users the option of installing apps via third-party stores as an alternative to the App Store.
At the same time, a new procedure was launched on April 23 against Apple, again under the DMA. This time, it targets the commissions imposed by the company on third-party app stores, which are suspected of hindering competition. Apple plans to charge 50 cents per download per year once the million mark is reached. This procedure is obviously not covered by the DMA, and the Commission accuses Apple of making the process of installing apps from a third-party store "unnecessarily cumbersome and confusing."
