€500 million fine for Apple – punishment or peanuts?
29 April 2025
The EU has fined Apple (€500 million) and Meta (€200 million) under the Digital Markets Act, its new law to keep Big Tech companies in check. Apple was punished for making it difficult for app developers to tell users about cheaper deals outside the App Store.
Meta was fined for its "pay or consent" model, where users had to either agree to hand over their personal data or start paying for access to Facebook and Instagram.
While the European Commission insists the penalties are "simply the result of applying the law", the broader political context is impossible to ignore. US president Donald Trump has already accused Europe of using tech regulation not to protect consumers but to shield weaker European companies and punish dominant American ones, and has threatened new tariffs.
Even if the EU insists it's only enforcing the law, moves like this could risk fuelling an already tense trade relationship.
 | Thibault Krause Whether these fines are pure law enforcement or a geopolitical move, the EU is targeting the US where it could apply real economic pressure: its tech giants. Apple, Meta, and co. are central pillars of the American economy. But ultimately, considering the billions these companies generate, the fines are only peanuts (Apple makes its fine, €500 million, in a few days) – unlikely to seriously hurt or change their business models without much stronger measures such as significantly higher financial penalties or limits on how they can operate in Europe. |
Welcome to The European Correspondent
Europe lacks true European media: in Germany alone, there are more media devoted exclusively to football than news outlets specialising on Europe. The established players mainly focus on Brussels and European institutions. The European Correspondent aims to change that. We cover the whole of Europe and write for a community of citizens who want to look beyond their own national borders. Without European journalism, there is no European civil society.
〉Read our manifesto
〉The stories we would like to write for you
Become a donor!
The European Correspondent is fully funded by its readers. We can only produce the newsletter with your support - and work towards the bigger project: building true European media. Donate now!
With your help, we can create true European journalism. Thank you!
We are non-profit. Every donated € goes directly into The European Correspondent.