The European Union has postponed its planned actions against tech giants Apple (AAPL, Financial) and Meta Platforms (META), delaying penalties to avoid potential conflicts with the U.S. government as it works to negotiate a trade agreement. According to insider sources, the EU Commission initially planned to announce a halt and sales suspension for these companies last week, but the decision was postponed. This move came just before EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič met with U.S. officials in Washington, marking the first face-to-face meetings since President Trump announced a 90-day tariff suspension.
An EU Commission spokesperson mentioned that while no specific date has been announced, technical work has been completed. The delay aims for a resolution in the short term. The cases against Meta and Apple are related to alleged violations of the EU's Digital Market Act, which seeks to level the playing field for smaller companies against larger tech competitors. Investigations began in March 2024 with initial findings released last summer. Reports emerged back in January 2025 that EU decisions and penalties against Apple were on hold partially due to staff changes within the EU Commission and in anticipation of actions by the Trump administration.
