The European Union is ready to impose minimal penalties on Apple and Facebook owner Meta under its Digital Markets Act next week, as Brussels are trying to avoid stress with US President Donald Trump.
According to those familiar with the decisions, the iPhone maker is fined and after his application, his app will be fined, after investigating whether or not his app developers from sending it out of his platform.
Regulators will also shut down another investigation about Apple, which focuses on the design of a web browser choice screen company without any other restrictions.
Meta will also be fined and ordered to change its “salary or consent” model, which force users to either consent data tracking or pays subscription fees for advertising free of this product.
Under the DMA, companies may face up to 10 % of their global business fines, which could result in billions of dollars for both companies.
But the purpose of the European Commission is planning to pay a lot below this extent, three officials said, because the block’s digital role book is relatively new and these decisions can still be challenged in court.
The move came when Brussels tried to implement the DMA, which was designed to dominate the digital marketplace of the tech giants, avoiding a direct confrontation with Washington.
Officials said the focus of the new commission, which took power in December, is more than complying with the law with the law, rather than a possible top penalty in the billions of euros.