Apple is contesting a 1.8 billion-euro ($1.9-billion) fine imposed by the European Union for hindering access to information about lower-priced music streaming services, according to a statement from an EU court on Tuesday.
The tech giant lodged an appeal with the EU’s General Court in Luxembourg on May 16, the court confirmed to AFP.
The European Commission, the EU’s competition watchdog, levied the fine against Apple in March following a protracted dispute stemming from a 2020 investigation triggered by a complaint from Swedish streaming service Spotify.
This marked the first antitrust penalty imposed on Apple by Brussels. The commission found that Apple had barred app developers from notifying iOS users about more affordable music subscription services offered outside the App Store.
Apple had previously stated its intention to challenge the fine, emphasizing that EU regulators had not uncovered any evidence of harm to consumers.
While Apple declined to comment on its appeal, it referred to its March statement reiterating its stance. Meanwhile, a commission spokesperson refrained from commenting on Apple’s appeal but affirmed Brussels’ readiness to defend its decisions in court.
The fine is just one aspect of the ongoing legal dispute between the commission and Apple. They are also engaged in a legal battle over a 13-billion-euro tax bill that the EU ordered Apple to pay to Ireland, currently under appeal at the bloc’s highest court.
Moreover, tensions persist over the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), designed to rein in major tech companies like Apple, Meta, and Microsoft to ensure fair competition. Apple has criticized the DMA, expressing concerns about user privacy and security, while the commission asserts that the legislation will promote fairer competition.
In March, the commission initiated its first investigation into Apple under the DMA, marking another point of contention between the tech giant and EU regulators.
