Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Apple and Meta will be hit with fines under Europe's Digital Markets Act on Wednesday, per sources familiar with the matter.
Why it matters: The decision to fine two American tech giants comes as the U.S. and the EU negotiate over President Trump's proposed tariffs, which are currently under a 90-day pause.
Driving the news: The fines are part of the European Commission's investigations into tech firms deemed as "gatekeepers" according to Europe's digital competition law.
- These will be the first fines issued under the DMA.
- Germany's Handelsblatt newspaper first reported that the Apple and Meta DMA fines were coming, and expected to be in the "millions."
The intrigue: The fines were set to be announced sooner, but EU officials decided to pause them due to political negotiations over the tariffs and the ongoing trade war, per Handelsblatt.
Zoom in: The Commission is expected on Wednesday to deliver the final decision on an investigation into Apple's changes to its steering rules in App Stores, per one source familiar.
- The Commission is also set to deliver its preliminary findings on a separate investigation into Apple's business terms for developers in the EU, per the same source.
Editor's note: The EU on Wednesday announced fines of €500m for Apple and €200m for Meta.
