The European Union (EU) recently asked Apple to stop using geo-blocking, which causes apps and services to be available differently depending on the country. This move, which is intended to create more accessibility and uniformity for European users, shows an ambitious and regulation-happy EU that wants to continue to set limits on the big tech companies. But the demand goes far beyond the practice of other industries and raises questions about its feasibility and the potential negative impact on the tech industry. A closer look at the details reveals a plan that not only seems unrealistic but could also create significant problems for developers and smaller companies.
The EU must be acknowledged as a world leader in tech regulation. While other countries – including the US – are still only discussing, the EU has already adopted numerous measures to protect consumers and promote competition. But the latest Financial support to Apple to end geoblocking, the EU seems to have reached a dangerous level of overreach. This new regulation shows an EU that has an idealistic vision of how the global market should work, without taking into account the real obstacles and decades-long legal agreements.
The EU's demands and their background
Specifically, the EU is demanding that Apple make changes in three areas:
- Uniform user interface: The EU wants all European users to be able to use the same user interface, regardless of the country in which their Apple account is registered.
- Free payment options: EU users should be able to use credit cards or payment systems from different countries.
- Unrestricted access to apps: EU users should be able to download apps that are not available in their home country but are offered in other countries.
At first glance, this sounds like it would be more user-friendly and strengthen the internal market. But in practice, there are massive hurdles here that could have the exact opposite effect in the long term. The EU seems to assume that these demands are easy to implement, but ignores the huge network of licensing and usage agreements that regulate the availability of media content worldwide. A key problem with the demand lies in the international rights agreements.
The neglect of international rights agreements
This is not just about Apple, but about a multitude of licensing agreements and legal requirements that determine where which content can be available. Films, series, music and apps are subject to different licensing rights depending on the region. A simple example: some US series such as "Saturday Night Live" are not accessible everywhere because the international rights are missing. Another example is "Star Trek" - depending on the region it runs on different streaming platforms because the licenses and rights holders vary. For the EU, this may be a problem that it wants to solve with a simple order. But the reality is complex. These regulations exist to ensure that rights holders receive fair compensation for the use of their content and that market conditions are maintained in different regions. A single market, as the EU is striving for, would undermine the entire structure of these agreements - and the EU's demand ignores this decades-long reality of the industry.
Underestimated burdens for developers
The consequences that implementing this requirement would have for smaller developers are particularly critical. If Apple is forced to make all apps available worldwide, developers would have to adapt their apps to the regulations of each individual country. The tax regulations, such as VAT in Europe or sales tax in the USA, would be a huge challenge alone. So far, Apple has relieved developers of this tax obligation via the App Store. However, if the EU continues to insist on third-party stores, this burden would be passed directly on to the developers. Another problem is the content of the apps themselves. Developers often use licensed materials, such as music, graphics or stock photos, that are only licensed for certain regions. The EU's requirement to open all apps for worldwide use ignores this reality and presents developers with an almost insurmountable task.
The irony: threat to competition and diversity
Even smaller apps developed for local needs could then have to be accessible worldwide, which is both legally and financially unsustainable for most developers. The EU argues that its demand is primarily intended to benefit consumers and will limit the power of large technology companies. But the reality could have the exact opposite effect: only large tech companies would have the resources to implement the required regulations and license their products worldwide. For smaller developers and startups, the financial and administrative hurdles would simply be too high. The costs of international licenses, tax adjustments and legal requirements could significantly limit competition. The diversity of apps and services could suffer because only the big companies would be able to afford to comply with EU regulations.
The EU and its attitude – an uninformed move?
The EU seems determined to engage in dialogue with Apple and has given the company a month to formulate a response and come up with proposals on how to implement the requested changes. Enforcement authorities in each EU state will take action to ensure compliance if necessary, but industry experts doubt Apple will comply without significant resistance. The EU's approach to this case shows that there is a serious knowledge gap among some politicians and decision-makers. Despite the many advances the EU has made in regulating Big Tech companies, this move seems like an idealistic overreach that is hardly based on a realistic understanding of global licensing and legal arrangements. It seems that with this demand, the EU has reached a point where it is itself perceived as naive and overreaching.
EU demand to Apple: well-intentioned, but poorly thought out?
The EU's demand that Apple lift geoblocking and make all apps and services available without restrictions in Europe may be well-intentioned in terms of consumer protection. But the approach is ill-considered and shows a worrying ignorance of the complex realities of the global tech and media industry. International rights agreements, licensing issues and the enormous burdens on developers have been barely taken into account. While the EU presents itself as a defender of consumers, the result could have exactly the opposite: only the big players could cope with the financial and administrative challenges, and the diversity of digital offerings could suffer massively. It remains to be seen how Apple will respond to this demand and whether the EU is actually willing to rethink the consequences of its decisions. Instead of protecting consumers, the EU risks destabilizing the market and reducing competition - ironically to the benefit of the very corporations it wants to regulate. (Photo by JanPietruszka / Bigstockphoto)
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