The European Publishers Council (EPC) welcomes the European Commission’s decision to open formal antitrust investigations against Apple who, through abuse of dominance, are undermining the ability of news and magazine publishers to have direct commercial relationships with their readers or to offer iOS-device users alternative cheaper purchasing possibilities outside of apps. The case will assess whether Apple's rules for app developers on the distribution of apps via the App Store violate EU competition rules.
The EPC points out that it will be important that the investigation also covers the harm created by Apple’s conduct in the way in which it affects apps that do not necessarily directly compete with Apple apps as this harm is significant given the significance of Apple’s restrictions. Apple’s conduct not only harms publishers but also harms the hundreds of millions of readers of newspapers in the EU. That should not be allowed.
EPC Chairman Christian Van Thillo said: “We welcome the Commission’s important decision to launch this investigation as the abuse of dominance by owners of the App Store prevents publishers offering direct downloads to our readers, and allows Apple to control the environment where our customers do not have a choice of payment systems. This means our customers become Apple customers, where Apple controls the relationship, and prevents publishers from having access to data, even about our own customers.”
You can find the European Commission press release on Apple Pay investigation here and the press release on Apple App Store inquiry here.
The EPC press statement is found below and behind this link.