Apple and Meta hit out at EU over fines

Apple was fined €500m on Wednesday and Meta €200m, as European Union antitrust regulators handed out the first sanctions under landmark legislation aimed at curbing the power of Big Tech

Apple's campus in Cork and the Meta office in Dublin.

Meta and Apple have strongly criticised European Commission fines for breaching the EU’s digital competition rules, with the Facebook-owner's Ireland head in Ireland saying it sends out the signal that Europe is closed for business.

The sanctions follow a year-long investigation by the European Commission into whether the companies comply with the Digital Markets Act that seeks to allow smaller rivals into markets dominated by big tech.

Meta has been fined €200m for forcing Facebook and Instagram users in the EU to choose between seeing adverts or paying a subscription to avoid them.

Apple’s €500m fine is for preventing app developers from pointing users to cheaper options outside of Apple’s App Store.

The commission said both firms’ actions breached the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the EU’s sweeping set of rules which are designed to stop the biggest tech firms from dominating digital markets and to give consumers and businesses more choice.

Cork woman Anne O'Leary, the head of Meta in Ireland, said the decision signals that the EU is closed for business and said Meta would likely appeal.

"The EU Commission decided to fine Meta and demand product changes that fundamentally alter our business model, which is based on personalized advertising - the foundation of the free internet," Ms O'Leary said.

"This decision, which we will likely appeal, has the potential to significantly hurt European businesses, who continue to use our personalized ad tools in large numbers to find new customers, expand into new markets, and compete with larger companies."

The fines could also stoke tensions with US president Donald Trump, who has threatened to levy tariffs against countries that penalise US companies. Joel Kaplan, Meta's head of Global Affairs, said the decision effectively imposes a multi-billion-dollar tariff on Meta.

Anne O’Leary, Head of Meta Ireland, said: 'At a time when innovation and growth should be the focus, this decision signals that the EU is closed for business.'

Teresa Ribera, the commission’s executive vice-president for clean, just and competitive transition, said: “Apple and Meta have fallen short of compliance with the DMA by implementing measures that reinforce the dependence of business users and consumers on their platforms.

“As a result, we have taken firm but balanced enforcement action against both companies, based on clear and predictable rules. All companies operating in the EU must follow our laws and respect European values.”

Apple also said it would challenge the EU fine.

"Today's announcements are yet another example of the European Commission unfairly targeting Apple in a series of decisions that are bad for the privacy and security of our users, bad for products, and force us to give away our technology for free," Apple said in an emailed statement.