Apple risks several tens of millions of euros in fines in the Netherlands, where it is accused of not opening its payment system to others.
Following an investigation into alleged anti-competitive practices launched in 2019, Apple was pinned down by the Dutch competition authority (The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets or ACM). This summons the American giant, under penalty, ” to adjust unreasonable conditions »Imposed on the App Store, which does not offer alternative payment for third-party applications to Apple. This practice has already resulted in his conviction in the United States in the litigation with Epic, although a very recent decision by an appeals court stayed the injunction. This has allowed the Apple company to maintain its only payment system across the Atlantic for the time being.
A decision imposed under penalty of 5 million euros per week
Apple has an obligation to adjust the ” unreasonable conditions »That the dating applications on the App Store are confronted with. This decision has just been taken by the Dutch competition authority, which deplores that the developers of these applications do not have the freedom to choose payment systems other than that of Apple.
Until today, therefore, developers are charged a commission of 15 to 30%, depending on the income generated by the application. This commission is paid through Apple’s payment system. ” Some app providers depend on the Apple App Store, and the company takes advantage of that dependency. Apple has responsibilities because of its dominant position “Said the chairman of the board of the ACM, who felt that it was time to” set reasonable conditions “.
Apple therefore has two months to open alternative payment systems on the App Store and make them available to developers. To force the company, the Dutch authority decided to impose this measure under penalty of 5 million euros per week, with the possibility of sanctioning the Cupertino company up to 50 million euros. She has until January 15, 2022 to comply with the decision.
In the Netherlands, Apple will have to open up alternative payment methods for dating apps
The American giant will therefore have to adopt the conditions of access to the Dutch App Store for developers of dating applications, so that they can use other payment systems. ” In this context, indicates the local controller, Dating app developers should also be able to reference payment options outside of the app in their apps. In short: developers will be able to offer alternative payment systems and will also be able to redirect their users to payment options located outside the application.
This decision, it may surprise you, is limited only to dating apps. Because if, at the start, the Dutch authority had launched a more comprehensive investigation into a potential abuse of a dominant position, it had tightened it up after the complaint of Match Group, parent company of the Tinder and Match.com applications. Apple spokesperson Marni Goldberg reacted to our colleagues at The verge, claiming that the company opposed the ACM’s decision and that it had filed an appeal, stating that Apple ” does not have a dominant position in the software distribution market in the Netherlands “.
In South Korea, a law recently passed by parliament requires app stores like the App Store and Google Play Store to allow alternative payment methods. If Google has decided to accept this decision (for all the same a commission), Apple has so far said nothing about the evolution of its practices on the spot.
On the same subject :
€ 1.13 billion: Amazon receives record fine for abuse of dominant position in Italy
Sources: ACM
, The verge
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