Apple has urged the Commission to repeal the bloc’s landmark digital antitrust law, the Digital Markets Act (DMA), in remarks submitted as part of the Commission’s first public review of the rules on Thursday.
In its consultation, Apple argued that the DMA should be replaced with a “fit for purpose” legislative instrument. If repeal proved impossible, it said enforcement should be carried out “by an independent European agency” that is “shielded” from political interference. The company also suggested that EU cyber and data protection authorities could be involved in enforcement.
Apple reiterated its longstanding claim that the EU’s rules interfere with fundamental rights. In 2023, it appealed to the EU’s courts, arguing that DMA obligations infringed both privacy rights and the freedom to conduct business. A public hearing in that case is set for 21 October.
The company also accused the Commission of adopting “extreme interpretations” of the DMA, which it said had created “new vulnerabilities for our users and a degraded experience”. Apple blamed the rules for delaying the rollout of certain features in EU markets.
The DMA requires large platforms such as Apple to ensure interoperability – meaning features must be accessible across non-Apple products. Apple said it had delayed the launch of Live Translation on AirPods and iPhone mirroring because of compliance requirements.
Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier insisted that “thanks to the DMA, companies have the right to compete fairly”. He added: “Apple must allow interoperability of third-party devices with their operating systems. DMA compliance is not optional, it’s an obligation.”
Apple’s criticisms – echoing broader pushback from US tech giants – come amid heightened EU-US tensions over digital regulation. Recently, US President Donald Trump threatened retaliatory tariffs against the EU after it fined another American company, Google, for anticompetitive practices.
(aw)