Apple Loses EU 'Gatekeeper' Fight: General Court Upholds DMA Designation

• App Store and iOS: The court upheld the Commission's determination that these two core platform services meet the DMA's gatekeeper thresholds. Apple was originally designated a gatekeeper for these services on September 5, 2023 .
• iMessage: Apple's challenge concerning its messaging service was rejected as inadmissible . The Commission had previously concluded, following a market investigation, that iMessage does not constitute an "important gateway" for business users to reach end users under the DMA .
• iPadOS: While not part of this specific appeal, Apple was separately designated as a gatekeeper for iPadOS on April 29, 2024, adding further DMA obligations covering its tablet operating system .

Obligations Apple Must Now Follow

As a confirmed gatekeeper, Apple must comply with the DMA's full set of obligations designed to open its ecosystem to competitors . These include:

• Anti-steering rules: Apple must allow app developers to inform customers of offers outside the App Store and steer them to those offers. The Commission found Apple breached this obligation, leading to a €500 million fine .
• Interoperability requirements: Apple must comply with DMA obligations relating to iOS, including specification proceedings covering connectivity features for devices like smartwatches and headphones .
• General conduct rules: Apple must avoid any conduct that breaches the DMA's rules for gatekeepers, including restrictions on sideloading and alternative payment systems .

Financial Penalties Already Imposed

The General Court ruling does not impose new fines, but it confirms the legal basis for penalties already issued:

• €500 million fine (April 23, 2025): The European Commission fined Apple this amount after finding it breached the DMA's anti-steering obligation by restricting developers from directing users to alternative purchasing options outside the App Store .
• Potential fines of up to 10% of global turnover: Under the DMA framework, the Commission can impose significantly larger penalties calculated by reference to a gatekeeper's worldwide turnover for ongoing non-compliance .

Broader EU Antitrust Context

Apple's loss follows a similar defeat for Google, which on July 2, 2026, lost its long-running challenge against a €4.1 billion EU antitrust fine for using its Android operating system to block competitors . The European Court of Justice dismissed Google's appeal, ending an eight-year legal battle and signaling the EU's intensifying crackdown on Big Tech .

Apple's Remaining Legal Options

Apple can appeal the General Court's ruling to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) — the EU's highest court. However, such appeals are limited to points of law, meaning Apple cannot reargue the facts of the case . The company has already appealed the €500 million fine separately, describing it as "unprecedented" .