Regulatory pressure temporarily eases for Apple in the Netherlands. The Dutch competition authority announced on Friday, July 25, that it is suspending its decision on commissions for dating apps. The regulator prefers to wait for the outcome of ongoing discussions between Apple and the European Commission on a similar issue related to the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
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A Long-Standing Dispute
The dispute began with the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets, which accused Apple of imposing unreasonable conditions
in its App Store. The main issue is the infamous 30% commission on in-app purchases and the prohibition against developers directing users to external payment methods.
Although Apple eventually allowed third-party payment solutions for dating apps in the Netherlands, the ACM still imposed a fine of 50 million euros on the company. Apple appealed but lost in June last year in Dutch court.
A Strategic Pause, Awaiting Brussels
Despite this defeat, the ACM will not rush into a new decision. It indicated in a statement reported by Reuters that it is postponing its judgment pending the outcome of negotiations between Apple and the European Commission on the new App Store rules, now governed by the Digital Markets Act.
Thus, the European Commission seems ready to accept Apple’s latest proposals, which include new commission tiers (potentially adding to the complexity), better transparency of fees related to App Store services (such as automatic updates or editorial highlighting), and more flexibility for developers.
A Strategy for Calm?
This delay in the decision could indicate that the ACM believes the new rules proposed by Apple are a step in the right direction. However, it could also be a waiting stance: if the European Commission approves the changes, the Dutch regulator can align its position. Otherwise, Apple may face new sanctions.
In any case, the battle over App Store commissions is far from over, and Europe seems determined to challenge the digital giants on their business practices.