A recent US court ruling has sparked protests from European app developers. The 9th Circuit Court ordered Apple to stop charging developers fees on payments made outside the App Store. Now, EU developers are urging the European Union to take similar action, arguing that the current system unfairly favors US-based developers.
This approach conflicts with EU regulations. As a designated “gatekeeper,” Apple is required to allow developers to process payments outside of the App Store without incurring fees. However, Apple’s current practices diverge from this mandate. Following a €500 million fine, Apple introduced a new two-tier system for App Store service fees, which includes a 5% commission (or higher) on payments processed outside the Store. Previously, Apple even prohibited developers from advertising such alternatives. In contrast, the recent US court ruling prohibits Apple from charging any commission on these external payments.
European Commission Headquarters (image source)The newly formed Coalition for App Fairness (CAF), which includes prominent members like Epic Games and Spotify—both of which have clashed with Apple over App Store policies—has called attention to these issues. Gene Burrus, Global Policy Counsel for CAF, stated, “It is bad for European companies, and it is bad for European consumers.” Burrus added that European developers must either absorb the extra costs or pass them on to consumers.
European developers also express concern about upcoming policy changes Apple announced for 2026, details of which remain undisclosed even though the new year is imminent. They urge the EU to investigate and address these uncertainties to ensure fair competition and transparency.
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