Apple to be charged with 'Anti-Competitive Behavior' by the EU

EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager will publicly issue charges against Apple late this week over concerns that the rules it sets for developers on its App store break EU law. Photograph: Matthias Schrader / AP Photo

According to several people with direct knowledge of the announcement, Margrethe Vestager, the EU's competition commissioner, will publicly accuse Apple later this week over complaints that the guidelines it sets for developers on its App store violate EU law.

The case began two years ago when Spotify filed a lawsuit claiming that Apple charged a whopping 30% subscription fee in return for allowing it to be featured on its App Store, but failed to inform users of cheaper ways to access it outside of the Apple ecosystem.

The lawsuit is one of many against Apple, and it is one of the most high-profile antitrust lawsuits against a US tech company in Europe. People cautioned that the timing could still be off.

Apple seemed to have been a "gatekeeper" "when it comes to the delivery of applications and content to users of Apple's common devices," according to Ms. Vestager, who launched the investigation in June.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment, despite the fact that it has dismissed any claims of anti-competitive behavior. Apple, on the other hand, said that Spotify was using "its financial motivations in deceptive rhetoric" at the time of the complaint.

Publish : 2021-04-27 17:05:00

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