By Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS -Apple is set to be hit with another fine next week for not fully complying with an order to open its App Store to rival forms of payment for dating apps in the Netherlands, Dutch antitrust watchdog ACM told Reuters.
The iPhone maker has already racked up 45 million euros ($49 million) in penalties to date as ACM (Authority for Consumers and Markets) has slapped weekly 5 million euro fines on the company since January, with the ninth penalty handed out this week.
Apple submitted a fresh proposal to the ACM this week in a bid to halt the sanction. The offer does not fully comply with its order, an official at the Dutch watchdog, who did not wish to be identified, told Reuters on Friday.
Subsequent fines once the total penalty hits 50 million euros could be higher according to ACM rules.
Apple, which requires developers to use its system and pay commissions of 15-30% on digital goods purchases and is feeling regulatory scrutiny worldwide over this, was not immediately available for comment.
An investigation by ACM on whether Apple’s practices amounted to an abuse of a dominant market position was launched in 2019. It was later reduced in scope to focus primarily on dating market apps, including Tinder owner Match Group Inc.
ACM says Apple abuses its market dominance and has ordered it to change this practice. Apple has denied market abuse.
Under tough new rules agreed on Thursday between the European Commission, EU governments and EU lawmakers, Apple will be required to open up its App Store once the legislation comes into force in October.
($1 = 0.9106 euros)
(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Jan Harvey and Susan Fenton)
