EU postpones fines for Apple and Meta due to talks with the US

By: Nastya Bobkova | 19.04.2025, 05:12
Fines for Apple and Meta have been suspended: EU in talks with US Fines for Apple and Meta put on hold as the EU reaches agreement with the US. Source: BBC

The European Union has decided to postpone the imposition of antitrust sanctions against Apple and Meta as active negotiations on a possible trade deal with the US continue.

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Both companies received substantial fines last year for various violations, but now the EU has decided to suspend their implementation, without specifying for how long.

Apple and Meta were fined for separate violations that raised concerns about fair competition and data protection. Apple was fined for requiring all app developers in the App Store to use its payment system, and the company even blocked ads for third-party payment solutions. Meta was fined for charging users to remove ads after the company had to stop collecting data from EU users for targeted advertising purposes.

The decision to postpone the sanctions comes amid growing tensions between the EU and major US tech companies. Although the EU actively regulates large tech companies to protect citizens and their data, some European lawmakers believe that postponing sanctions may be more of a political than an ethical move. Therefore, the EU has decided to suspend its actions indefinitely.

The decision is linked to the EU's desire to speed up a trade deal with the US. After a 90-day pause in tariffs, Donald Trump met with European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, but the results of the talks have not yet been disclosed. The EU has said that final decisions will be made in the near future.

Source: Android Headlines