Apple, according to the Rotterdam court, has abused its dominant position by imposing unfair conditions on dating app providers in the App Store. Previously, app makers could not decide which payment system to use.
According to the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM), this had to change: the regulator forced Apple to adjust these conditions in August 2021. Otherwise, the regulator would impose a penalty of 5 million euros per week.
Because Apple did not adjust the payment method conditions on time, the company had to pay penalties totaling 50 million euros. Eventually, Apple complied with the ACM’s ruling. After that, the tech company appealed the ruling, arguing that it was not in the users’ interest.
The court now rules that ACM rightly determined that Apple is abusing its dominant position because dating app providers were limited in their freedom of choice. A company with a dominant position like Apple may not use unfair conditions under European and Dutch competition rules.
Apple will also not get the previously paid penalties back. The company can still appeal the ruling.