The European Commission has accused US tech giants Google and Apple of violating its digital regulations, marking a significant move that could strain transatlantic relations with Donald Trump.
Despite pressure from the US president to ease regulatory scrutiny on American tech firms—warning of potential retaliatory tariffs—the EU proceeded with enforcement actions against Apple and Alphabet, Google’s parent company.
The commission alleges that both companies breached the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), a law designed to curb anti-competitive practices. Violations of the DMA can lead to fines of up to 10% of a company’s global revenue, or 20% for repeat offenses. Given Apple’s 2024 revenue of $391 billion, a maximum fine could reach nearly $80 billion.
