Apple’s Feedback to EU Commission: Repeal Digital Markets Act
Apple responded to a consultation on the Digital Markets Act with a call to repeal the entire regulation.
The European Commission’s requested changes to the Apple App Store would allow developers to accept payments through third-party services. In April 2025, Apple was fined €500 million ($570 million) under the DMA.
“The DMA should be repealed while a more appropriate fit for purpose legislative instrument is put in place,” Apple wrote in a formal submission related to the consultation about the law, according to France24.
Developers, including Epic Games and Spotify, have applauded the European Commission’s enforcement of the DMA.
Apple delays Live Translation and other features
Apple announced it had delayed the rollout of certain features in the EU due to the additional time required to comply with the DMA. Those features include:
- Live Translation with AirPods.
- iPhone Mirroring.
- Visited Places and Preferred Routes on Maps.
The company has not found a way to make these features work without exposing some user data to other companies or developers, Apple wrote in a statement on Wednesday.
“For example, we designed Live Translation so that our users’ conversations stay private — they’re processed on device and are never accessible to Apple — and our teams are doing additional engineering work to make sure they won’t be exposed to other companies or developers either,” Apple wrote.
Since shortly after the DMA was implemented, the Cupertino giant has claimed the DMA’s requirements to allow sideloading, other app marketplaces, and alternative payment systems could expose users to security risks. The EU Commission says such requirements prevent anticompetitive practices and “walled gardens.”
Different companies have to follow different requirements under the DMA, particularly the large “gatekeeper” companies. In the blog post, Apple framed this as being “singled out.”
“Apple has led the way in building a unique, innovative ecosystem that others have copied — to the benefit of users everywhere. But instead of rewarding that innovation, the DMA singles Apple out while leaving our competitors free to continue as they always have.”
EU Commission has ‘no intention’ of repealing the DMA
The Commission has “absolutely no intention” of repealing the DMA, said Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier, according to Fortune.
He said the Commission had attempted to approach Apple with beneficial guidance on complying with the DMA but had been rebuffed.
“Apple has simply contested every little bit of the DMA since its entry into application,” Regnier told Politico. “This undermines the company’s narrative of wanting to be fully cooperative with the Commission.”
Apple-EU battle comes amid changing political environment
Apple’s response comes at a time when American companies face vastly different attitudes at home and in the EU. President Donald Trump’s administration has embraced the innovative power of big tech and framed European privacy regulations as being opposed to free speech.
Apple patched more than 50 security flaws with updates to iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26 earlier this month.
About Author
