Spanish antitrust authorities have opened a probe into Apple, examining whether the tech giant imposes unfair conditions on developers who use its App Store.
The National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) of Spain assesses if Apple’s practices breach Spanish and EU competition laws.
The CNMC has the authority to impose fines of up to 10 percent of a company’s global annual sales.
Apple reported revenue of nearly $383.29 billion for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023.
The company could face a significant penalty if found guilty of stifling competition.
An Apple representative said: “Today, Spanish developers of all sizes compete on a level playing field on the App Store.
“Apple will continue to work with the Spanish Competition Authority to understand and respond to their concerns.”
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This investigation is part of a broader scrutiny Apple faces in Europe.
Recently, the European Union suggested that Apple’s App Store practices might violate digital competition laws.
It’s specifically regarding restrictions on developers’ ability to direct customers to alternative payment methods.
Apple could be fined up to 10 percent of its global revenue if found violating the EU’s Digital Markets Act.
