The Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) says the iPhone
maker is abusing a dominant market position by failing to allow software
application makers in the Netherlands to use other payment methods for dating
apps accessible via its App Store.
The ACM has been levying weekly fines of EUR 5 million since
Apple missed a January 15 deadline to make changes that the watchdog had
mandated.
It said the US company had not made any new proposal to
comply with its ruling in the past week.
"We have clearly explained to Apple how they can
comply...," the watchdog said in a statement. "So far, however, they
have refused to put forward any serious proposals." Apple declined comment
on Monday.
Apple's App Store requirement that app developers
exclusively use its payment system with commissions of 30 percent has come
under scrutiny in several countries, most recently the United States.
In blog posts, Apple indicated it complied with the Dutch
ruling by allowing dating app makers there to submit a new app with alternative
payment methods enabled.
Apple said it still intends to charge a 27 percent
commission on any in-app payments it does not process, only slightly below the
30 percent it charges on those it does process.
The ACM has rejected Apple's moves as putting an
unreasonable burden on software developers and not amounting to compliance.
Neither Apple nor the ACM have commented on whether any of
the weekly fines have been paid, but it is understood that all are still
outstanding. © Reuters