Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL, ETR:APC) has filed an appeal against a €500 million (US$586 million) fine imposed by the EU for allegedly violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA), escalating a major dispute between the iPhone maker and EU regulators over competition in the app space.
The European Commission issued the fine in April, then stating that Apple’s restrictions on app developers prevented them from informing users about alternative and potentially cheaper purchasing options outside of the App Store.
Under the DMA, designated “gatekeepers” like Apple are required to allow developers to steer users to external offers without obstruction.
In its appeal, Apple described the penalty as “unprecedented” and argued that the commission is overreaching by dictating the company’s App Store operations and imposing what Apple called “confusing” business terms.
“Today we filed our appeal because we believe the European Commission’s decision, and their unprecedented fine, go far beyond what the law requires,” Apple said in a statement.
“As our appeal will show, the EC is mandating how we run our store and forcing business terms which are confusing for developers and bad for users. We implemented this to avoid punitive daily fines and will share the facts with the Court.”
The company filed its appeal with the General Court, the second-highest court in the EU.
To avoid further penalties during the legal process, Apple has already updated its App Store policies across EU storefronts. These changes include enabling developers to link to external purchasing platforms and introducing a revised, tiered commission structure that lowers the maximum fee from 30% to 20% for alternative payment methods.
Despite these changes, Apple contends that the commission has expanded the legal interpretation of “steering,” going beyond simple link allowances to regulate promotional language and in-app messaging. The company says this undermines its ability to maintain consistent user experiences and raises compliance concerns for developers.
The European Commission is yet to comment on the appeal.