Apple, Facebook-parent Meta may face ‘modest’ fines in Europe, here’s why

Apple and Facebook-parent Meta Platforms Inc. are expected to receive fines under the European Union’s (EU) Big Tech anti-competition policy next week. Moreover, the Cupertino-based tech giant may even face recurring penalties under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). However, a report citing people familiar with the matter claims that EU regulators are likely to issue relatively modest fines compared to past antitrust penalties against the two US tech firms.
With reduced penalty EU may be trying to enforce its digital rules without adding to the tensions with US President Donald Trump, the report notes. Earlier, Trump had warned of heavy tariffs in response to any “disproportionate” penalties against US tech firms.
Recently, EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said that the bloc is prepared to challenge US tech firms without concern for retaliation. Meanwhile, Trump is expected to introduce a series of reciprocal tariffs next week, which he says are intended to address non-tariff barriers that may include tech regulations.

Under the DMA, the upcoming fines on the tech giants are expected to be modest, however, Apple may still face some reputational concerns and periodic penalty payments. The law allows the EU to impose fines of up to 10% of global annual revenue, as well as repeated fines of up to 5% of average daily worldwide turnover.
Earlier, Apple had incurred recurring fines in a dispute with the Dutch competition authority, reaching a penalty of €50 million. Currently, it is under investigation for allegedly blocking apps from linking to alternative purchasing platforms, following a previous €1.8 billion fine related to music-streaming apps.
Meanwhile, Meta is expected to be fined under the DMA for its ad-free services on Instagram and Facebook. In November 2024, the company also received a €798 million fine for linking its Facebook Marketplace service to its main platform.