EU delays punishment for Apple, Meta to avoid trade tensions with US

The European Union has postponed issuing penalties against tech giants Apple and Meta Platforms, choosing to avoid escalating tensions with the Trump administration during a crucial week for EU-US trade negotiations.

The European Commission, the EU's executive body, had planned to announce cease-and-desist orders against both companies on April 15 and had informed at least one of the tech firms about the timing, according to sources familiar with the matter. Additionally, fines were also considered as part of the penalties, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The delay comes just ahead of important trade talks between the EU and the US. EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič met with US officials in Washington on April 14 for his first in-person discussions since President Trump announced a 90-day pause on certain tariffs. Furthermore, this week, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with Trump, who suggested that reaching a trade deal with the EU would be “very little problem.”

Although the announcement of penalties is now postponed, the rulings are still expected to go ahead at a later date. A commission spokesman confirmed that “technical work had been completed,” and decisions would be adopted in the “short term,” though no specific timeline was provided.

This delay offers a brief respite for Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Meta executives had lobbied US trade officials to intervene against the expected orders. Trump had previously voiced frustration with EU tech regulations and threatened retaliatory tariffs.

Zuckerberg recently defended Meta in a US Federal Trade Commission trial that could force the company to divest parts of its business. However, European officials have insisted they will not dilute their tech regulations under US pressure. At the same time, some members of the European Parliament have raised concerns over the potential politicization of these cases, as the EU seeks to strike a trade deal with the US.

The cases involving Meta and Apple are related to alleged violations of the EU's Digital Markets Act, a law designed to level the playing field for smaller companies competing with dominant tech giants. The investigations into both companies began in March 2024, with preliminary findings issued last summer. Both firms face potential fines of up to 10 per cent of their global annual revenue, though sources indicate the actual penalties may be lower. The cease-and-desist orders, targeting business practices, are expected to have a greater impact than any fines.

Meta’s spokesman reiterated earlier concerns, stating that the company's worry isn't limited to fines. “It’s about the commission seeking to handicap successful American businesses simply because they’re American, while letting Chinese and European rivals off the hook,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, Apple has defended its App Store policies, which the commission argues restrict developers' ability to direct users to alternative purchase methods. The company maintains that developers benefit from its proprietary technology and tools.

By Vafa Guliyeva