Overview

• The European Commission delayed announcing cease-and-desist orders and potential fines for Apple and Meta, initially planned for earlier this week.
• The postponement coincided with EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič's meeting with US officials in Washington to advance transatlantic trade talks.
• The investigations focus on Apple's App Store rules restricting external transactions and Meta's paid opt-out for personalized ads.
• Penalties under the Digital Markets Act could include fines up to 10% of global revenue, though the financial impact is expected to be lower than the maximum allowed.
• European Parliament lawmakers raised concerns about potential political influence on the timing of regulatory decisions, emphasizing the need for regulatory independence.