The European Parliament has approved a law that forces Apple and Google to allow the installation of apps from third-party sites. In addition, the technology companies will have to ensure that pre-installed apps can be removed once the law comes into force.
The European Parliament passed two bills: the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act. In short: they aim to introduce stricter regulation for technology companies in the EU.
Gamesindustry clarifies: the updated rules apply to "companies with a strong market position". They have "an impact on the EU internal market and a wide audience." In general, these are Apple, Google and other tech giants.
The DTF explains that the requirements are as follows:
- Allow installation of applications from third-party stores.
- Allow users to easily uninstall preinstalled apps and change default settings.
- Refuse to force app developers to use only their own payment systems.
- Do not use data obtained from developers for their anti-competitive purposes.
There is a six-month deadline to comply with the requirements. It is proposed that companies will be fined 10 percent of total annual turnover in case of non-compliance and 20 percent in case of repeat offenses. The Digital Markets Law is scheduled for ratification in July and the Digital Services Law in September. The documents will go into effect 20 days after signing.
No comments have yet been received from Apple or Google.
