A coalition of 20 app developers and consumer advocacy groups has called on European regulators to take stronger action against Apple, arguing that the company’s App Store fee structure continues to disadvantage European developers compared with their US counterparts despite clear requirements under the EU’s Digital Markets Act.
The appeal comes in the wake of a recent US court decision that limits Apple’s ability to charge fees on external in-app transactions. According to the coalition, this ruling has created an uneven playing field, with US developers benefiting from more favorable conditions while European developers remain subject to charges that contradict EU law, Reuters news report said.
The Digital Markets Act, which came into force in 2023, requires large technology platforms designated as gatekeepers, including Apple, to allow developers to steer users to alternative payment options outside the platform ecosystem free of charge. However, the Coalition for Apps Fairness (CAF) argues that Apple’s current practices fall short of this requirement.
Earlier this year, the European Commission fined Apple 500 million euros for breaching the DMA by preventing developers from informing users about alternative payment methods. Following the ruling, Apple revised its App Store terms, introducing fees of around 13 percent for smaller developers and up to 20 percent for App Store purchases. The company also imposed additional charges ranging from 5 percent to 15 percent on transactions completed outside its ecosystem.
CAF, which represents companies such as Deezer and Proton, says these revised terms still violate the spirit and letter of the DMA. The group claims that while US developers are now subject to fewer restrictions after the court ruling, European developers continue to face higher costs and regulatory uncertainty.
“This situation is untenable and damaging to the app economy,” CAF said in a statement, accusing Apple of undermining transparency and suppressing innovation. Gene Burrus, global policy counsel for CAF, said European developers are forced to absorb the additional fees or pass them on to consumers, hurting both businesses and users across the region.
According to the coalition, European developers remain at a disadvantage even six months after the European Commission formally declared Apple’s policies illegal under the DMA. Although Apple has announced that further changes will take effect in January, it has yet to provide details, deepening frustration within the developer community.
“We want the European Commission to tell Apple that the law is the law and that free of charge means free of charge,” Gene Burrus said. He added that regulators should consider escalating the matter to the European Court of Justice if Apple fails to fully comply with the DMA.