EU delay in issuing DMA fines to Apple and Meta politically motivated

The European Commission has still yet to announce penalties against Apple and Meta for breaches of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), despite a self-imposed deadline passing over two weeks ago. While the Commission maintains it's "business as usual" and that global trade tensions are not a factor, the delay is fueling speculation that the ongoing trade war with the US is indeed influencing the timing. 

The Commission was expected to issue decisions following year-long investigations into Meta and Apple's compliance with the DMA, which sets rules for tech companies operating in the European market, after 28 March. Last month, the Financial Times reported that the Commission was planning to issue relatively small fines to Apple and Meta to avoid escalating tensions with the US and concerns about how the US President would react. However, following intense criticism of the DMA from President Trump and the US's top antitrust enforcer, the announcement of the penalties has been delayed. Experts suggest that the timing of the verdicts is being carefully orchestrated at a high level within the Commission, beyond the control of the competition directorate. While Commission officials downplay the significance of the delay, the prolonged wait is increasingly perceived as politically motivated.

Members of the European Parliament are expressing concern that the delay in these key investigations is being politicised and undermining the EU's credibility in enforcing its own digital laws.