Apple hit with €1.8 billion EU antitrust fine over music streaming

The European Commission started investigating following a complaint by Spotify in 2019.

Transcript

00:00 Brussels has ordered Apple to pay a fine of 1.8 billion euros for breaking EU competition

00:07 law in its distribution of music streaming apps.

00:10 The European Commission found Apple had blocked users of its app store from switching to cheaper

00:15 music subscription alternatives.

00:17 It follows a four-year probe launched after Swedish company Spotify filed a complaint

00:22 in 2019.

00:23 "This is illegal and it has impacted millions of European consumers.

00:30 They were not able to make a free choice as to where, how and at what prices to buy music

00:37 streaming subscriptions."

00:41 It is the first time that the Commission has fined Apple and the third biggest antitrust

00:45 levy it has ever issued.

00:48 The move is part of Brussels' plan to rein in the power of big tech companies that abuse

00:52 their market dominance under the Digital Markets Act.

00:57 The Commission says holding big tech to account will help small European businesses thrive.

01:03 "It is of fundamental importance to hold companies like Apple accountable for their violation

01:11 of EU law.

01:14 Today's decision shows that competition law continues to provide a very powerful basis

01:20 to tackle illegal behaviour by companies like Apple to the benefit of consumers.

01:27 It will work hand in hand with the DMA to ensure that digital markets work, that they

01:33 indeed deliver for people."

01:35 Similar levies against Google are currently being appealed in courts.

01:40 Apple has said it will also challenge the decision and claims Spotify's success story

01:44 as the largest music streaming app in the world is partly due to the support it has

01:50 received from Apple and its App Store.

01:52 [Whoosh]