In a landmark decision, the European Union has fined tech giant Apple €1.8 billion for violating competition laws in the music streaming industry. The European Commission found that Apple had unlawfully restricted streaming services from informing users about alternative payment options outside of the Apple app store, thereby abusing its dominant market position.

Competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager condemned Apple’s actions, stating that the company had exploited its dominance in the market for over a decade. The EU ordered Apple to remove all restrictions immediately. Despite the hefty fine and order for compliance, Apple has announced its intention to appeal the decision, arguing that there is no evidence of harm to consumers.

The European Commission’s investigation was prompted by a complaint from Swedish music streaming service Spotify, which raised concerns about Apple’s restrictive practices and its imposition of a 30% fee on app store transactions. Spotify hailed the EU’s decision as a significant moment, sending a clear message that no company, not even a monopoly like Apple, can abuse its power to control interactions with customers.

Apple, however, defended its position, emphasizing that Spotify pays no commission for subscriptions sold outside of the app store. The tech giant accused Spotify of being the primary advocate for the decision, highlighting the Swedish company’s frequent engagement with the European Commission throughout the investigation.

This ruling comes amidst broader efforts by the EU to foster competition in the digital market, including the introduction of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA aims to address market concentration issues and promote fair competition, particularly among tech giants like Apple and Google. Companies failing to comply with the DMA risk facing fines of up to 10% of their annual turnover.

While Apple has announced plans to allow EU customers to download apps from sources other than its app store, concerns persist about its overall compliance with the DMA. Spotify and other digital companies have voiced renewed criticism of Apple’s alleged lack of compliance, urging the European Commission to take decisive action to ensure fair competition in the digital marketplace.

As the battle between regulators and tech giants continues, the EU’s enforcement actions send a clear signal that anti-competitive behavior will not be tolerated, marking a significant step towards fostering a more level playing field in the digital economy.