Why Apple Is Accusing the EU of ‘Political Delay Tactics’ Over New Fees

Apple has launched a sharp verbal attack on the European Commission, accusing regulators of using “political delay tactics” to stall the rollout of new app policies. According to a Bloomberg report, the tech giant claims the EU is intentionally dragging its feet to create a pretext for further investigations and heavy fines.

The clash comes as Setapp, a prominent third-party app marketplace owned by developer MacPaw, prepares to shut down its iOS operations next month. MacPaw pointed to “complex business terms” that no longer fit its model as the reason for the exit. However, Apple argues that it has already proposed a more economical 5% revenue-sharing model to help developers, but says the EU has blocked it from being implemented.

“The European Commission has refused to let us implement the very changes that they requested,” Apple stated. The company claims it submitted a formal compliance plan in October that has yet to receive a response. Apple suggests the Commission is moving the goalposts to “unfairly target an American company with burdensome investigations.”

Under the Digital Markets Act, which took effect over two years ago, Apple was forced to allow alternative app stores on the iPhone in Europe. Currently, Apple charges a Core Technology Fee of €0.50 per installation after the first million downloads. While Apple wants to shift to a percentage-based fee, regulators reportedly believe Apple’s terms remain too complex for competitors to survive.

According to remarks seen by Bloomberg, the Commission is preparing to argue that Apple has failed to address key issues regarding its business terms. Apple, however, disputes that its actions caused Setapp’s departure, claiming there is simply very little consumer demand for alternative stores in the EU.

Despite the exit of Setapp, other third-party platforms like the Epic Games Store and AltStore continue to operate on the iPhone within the region.

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