June 24, 2025 – Apple is reportedly engaged in last-minute, high-stakes talks with European Union regulators in a desperate bid to avoid a fresh wave of hefty fines related to its App Store policies. The tech giant is scrambling to make new concessions ahead of a critical Thursday, June 26, 2025, deadline for full compliance with the EU's landmark Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The iPhone maker was already hit with a substantial €500 million (approximately $570 million) fine in March 2025 for breaching the DMA, specifically for its "anti-steering" policies that restrict developers from freely directing users to alternative payment options outside the App Store. Following that initial penalty, Apple was given a 60-day window to comply.
Reports from sources close to the negotiations, including the Financial Times, indicate that Apple is expected to offer new, significant concessions on its "steering" rules to appease Brussels. These changes could potentially buy Apple crucial time, as the European Commission would need to thoroughly review any proposed modifications before making a decision on further penalties. If Apple fails to demonstrate full compliance by the deadline, it faces escalating daily fines that could reach up to 5% of its average daily global revenue, a staggering figure potentially amounting to tens of millions of dollars per day.
Discussions are also understood to involve Apple's controversial "Core Technology Fee" (CTF), which levies a charge of €0.50 per annual install after one million downloads, even for apps distributed outside the App Store. The EU has been actively examining this policy since June 2024, and the future of its investigation – whether it escalates or closes – could significantly hinge on the outcome of these ongoing talks.
The European Commission has confirmed it is engaged in "close talks" with Apple to ensure compliance with the DMA but has refrained from commenting on the potential outcome ahead of the imminent deadline.
Apple has consistently defended its App Store policies, citing user privacy and security as paramount, and has often expressed frustration with the EU's regulatory approach, claiming the Commission "keeps moving the goalposts." However, the EU remains firm in its stance to curb the market power of "gatekeepers" like Apple and foster greater competition and fairness in the digital market.
This intense negotiation unfolds amidst a broader period of heightened scrutiny for US tech giants in Europe. Other major companies, including Meta, have also faced similar compliance deadlines under the DMA, and the EU has a history of imposing multi-billion Euro fines on Google for various antitrust violations. The situation also aligns with US President Donald Trump's visit to Europe for a NATO summit this week, a context where US-EU tensions over digital regulation have frequently surfaced, with Trump previously labeling such fines as "economic extortion."
The outcome of these critical talks will be closely watched by the global tech industry and regulators worldwide, as it is expected to set a significant precedent for how dominant digital platforms are required to operate within the European Union.
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