EU competition commissioner on digital legislation: 'We don't aim to create adversaries'
Title: European Commission's Digital Crackdown: A Friendly Enforcement for Fair Digital Markets
Scrappy and to-the-point, that's how we roll! The European Commission has stepped up its digital regulatory game, slapping digital giants Apple and Meta with hefty fines last week for breaking rules under its digital regulations.
Teresa Ribera, European Commissioner for competition, made it clear that the Commission isn't trying to make enemies but rather enforce the law. At a Brussels event, she said, "We want to make friends, not enemies, but we think it's important to respect the law, people, and operators."
Apple was hit with a €500 million fine for rubber-stamping developers' ability to communicate with customers and direct them to alternative app stores. Meta was fined €200 million for its "pay or consent" advertising model, which the Commission feels is a DMA violation, forcing users to either agree to targeted advertising or pay a subscription.
The tech titans aren't pleased, calling the EU's regulatory approach discriminatory. The regulation has even fueled trade tensions between Brussels and Washington. But Ribera assured that the Commission isn't trying to escalate intercontinental tensions.
She stressed, "Enforcing our competition in tools and regulation in digital markets is key to ensure Big Tech plays fairly. Without it, smaller companies cannot compete, cannot innovate." Fines are the last resort, according to Ribera, as the focus is on fostering a "culture of compliance" through constructive dialogue, as evident in the closure of an investigation into Outlook's user-choice practices thanks to Outlook's compliance plan.
Ribera also discussed the EU's approach to merger control rules, aimed at maintaining global competitiveness but also supporting the emergence of 'European champions.' She plans to revise guidelines for assessing both horizontal and conglomerate mergers, focusing on innovation, resilience, and competition in strategic sectors.
In the coming weeks, there will be a wide consultation with stakeholders and the industry sector on this matter.
Euro’s Grip on Tech: A Deeper Look
The European Commission has dealt some significant blows to tech titans like Apple and Meta, but that's not all. It's also working on implementing stricter General-Purpose AI rules starting 2 August 2025, focusing on transparency, copyright compliance, and risk mitigation[2]. These changes will be overseen by the European AI Office and national authorities, supported by a new Code of Practice[2].
Moreover, the European Commission is striving to address the digital skills gap, with just 56% of EU citizens having basic digital skills[5], well short of the 2030 target of 80%. The Commission's 2025 Work Programme is concentrating on regulatory simplification, including a review of the Cybersecurity Act to make it easier for SMEs and mid-cap firms to comply[1].
Overall, the European Commission's crackdown on digital corporations aims to foster fairness and innovation in digital markets, despite kickbacks from tech giants. Upcoming enforcement actions and the AI Act's governance framework are expected to increase compliance costs and operational scrutiny for companies like Apple and Meta, particularly in app store practices, AI model deployment, and user data handling.
- Teresa Ribera, the European Commissioner for competition, emphasized that the Commission's digital crackdown is not intended to create enemies, but rather to ensure compliance with the law.
- The European Commission plans to implement stricter General-Purpose AI rules focused on transparency, copyright compliance, and risk mitigation, with a focus on innovation and competition in digital markets.
- To address the digital skills gap in the EU, the European Commission is concentrating on regulatory simplification, including a review of the Cybersecurity Act to make it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-cap firms to comply.
- The upcoming enforcement actions and the AI Act's governance framework will potentially increase compliance costs and operational scrutiny for tech giants like Apple and Meta, particularly in app store practices, AI model deployment, and user data handling.
