Apple had until 7 March 2024 to adopt the necessary measures to ensure that the terms and conditions it applies to app developers and app users within its mobile ecosystem comply with the app store-related provisions of the Digital Markets Act (“DMA”). These provisions essentially seek to stimulate competition in app distribution and content acquisition … Continue reading Ten reasons why Apple’s App Store terms are still not compliant with the DMA →

Yesterday, the European Publishers Council (“EPC”) published a press release, whereby they had submitted a comprehensive report to the European Commission (EC), (i) demonstrating why Apple and Google’s respective implementation of the app-store related provisions are in breach of the DMA and (ii) providing a way forward to ensure greater contestability and fairness in mobile … Continue reading A Voice of Reason: European Publishers Council Submits Concrete Proposals to the EC for Strict Enforcement of DMA’s App Store Rules →

I am very pleased that Fiona Scott Morton has accepted to be interviewed by the Platform Law Blog. Fiona is the Theodore Nierenberg at the Yale School of Management and one of the best IO economists in the world. She recently spent several months in Brussels as a research fellow at Bruegel, a leading think-tank. … Continue reading Interview of Fiona Scott Morton →

Yesterday, Apple made an important announcement regarding changes to iOS, Safari, and the App Store in the European Union in response to the Digital Markets Act (“DMA”). This announcement covers a lot of ground and should be read in parallel with a number of accompanying documents. In this blog post, I discuss my first (and … Continue reading When Apple takes the European Commission for fools: An initial overview of Apple’s new terms and conditions for iOS app distribution in the EU →

One of the issues I am often asked about the Digital Markets Act (“DMA”) is how to ensure that it will be properly implemented. While business users of core platform services will often be pleased with the content of the provisions that apply to the relevant gatekeepers, there is a concern that these provisions may … Continue reading Ensuring DMA compliance: What are the business users’ options? →

One of the most intriguing provisions of the Digital Markets Act (“DMA”) is Article 6(12), which provides that the designated gatekeeper shall apply “fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory general conditions of access for business users to its software application stores, online search engines and online social networking services ...” Thus, Article 6(12) only applies to three … Continue reading Article 6(12) of the Digital Markets Act: Implementing the FRAND requirement   →

Introduction On 19 April 2023, the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) issued a consultation over the commitments proposed by Google (the “Proposed Commitments”) to bring the CMA’s investigation into its conduct in relation to Google’s distribution of apps on Android devices in the UK to an end. The consultation period ended on Friday 19 May … Continue reading Why the Proposed Commitments offered by Google to the UK competition authority regarding in-app purchases are wrong and will make the situation of app developers worse →

On 17 November, the Chancellor announced in his Autumn Statement that the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill will be introduced into parliament in the 3rd session. That is of course welcome news for those who consider that ex ante regulation needs to complement competition law in digital markets. In this context, I am delighted that Sarah … Continue reading Interview with Sarah Cardell, CEO of the CMA →