2 min read
Apple and Meta may soon see their long-running antitrust battles in the European Union come to an end. Both companies are close to reaching settlements with the European Commission (EC), potentially avoiding massive fines that could have been imposed otherwise.
The information, which has not yet been confirmed officially, comes from officials familiar with the ongoing discussions between the EC and the two tech giants. These European officials told the Financial Times that there is “growing optimism” about finding “a workable solution” regarding Meta’s controversial ‘pay or consent’ system. The model requires users to either allow extensive data tracking or pay a monthly fee to use Facebook and Instagram without ads. Meta was previously fined €200 million for this practice.
One of the key issues still under discussion is making sure EU consumers can easily find and manage the available privacy options. Regulators want Meta to provide a more transparent and accessible experience for users across Europe.
Apple’s case appears to be in a slightly different stage. The company had already announced policy changes to its App Store in June to comply with EU rules. However, the EC is continuing talks with Apple about other contractual terms affecting developers, which remain under investigation.
According to the reports, while no final decisions have been made, officials involved in the discussions believe that settlements could be reached soon. If both cases are resolved, Apple and Meta would avoid daily penalties that could rise to as much as 5% of their average global daily revenue.
