EU Competition Authorities "Will Complete Investigation into US Big Tech's Abuse of Power"

Teresa Rivera, EU Competition Executive
"No Suspension or Reconsideration of Antitrust Investigations"

The European Union (EU) competition authorities have expressed their determination to complete antitrust investigations into major U.S. big tech companies. This is a clear denial of suspicions that they have been slowing down investigations targeting American companies to avoid clashes with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

According to Bloomberg on the 16th (local time), Teresa Rivera, EU Executive Vice President for Clean, Fair and Competitive Markets, told reporters in Brussels, Belgium, that "it is our duty to maintain the proper application of the law and protect consumer rights," and that there has been no suspension or reconsideration of the ongoing investigations into violations of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) targeting Apple, Google, Meta Platforms, and others.

Theresa Ribera, EU Executive Vice President for the European Green Deal, Fairness and Competition. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

Vice President Rivera added, "The application of all laws is not discriminatory to anyone," and expected the next procedural decision to be made around March. This dismisses allegations of the EU 'going easy' on big tech companies. Earlier, major foreign media reported that the EU Commission was reviewing all investigations conducted under the DMA, which could lead to a reduction or change in the scope of investigations.

Enacted in March last year, the DMA is known as the 'Big Tech Abuse Prevention Act,' designating platform operators above a certain size as gatekeepers to prevent abuse of market dominance and subjecting them to special regulations. Accordingly, the EU Commission has launched investigations into Google and Apple's monopoly in the app marketplace, as well as Meta's exposure of personal information in social networking service (SNS) advertisements. Companies found violating the law when sanctions are decided in March could face fines of up to 10% of their global revenue.

Since these regulations mainly target U.S. big tech companies dominating the EU internal market, some have predicted an inevitable clash between the U.S. and Europe over digital regulations following President-elect Trump's inauguration. For example, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, urged Trump’s intervention during an interview with famous podcast host Joe Rogan, stating that the EU’s fines on big tech function similarly to tariffs. Meta was fined 798 million euros by EU regulators last year.

While big tech leaders embroiled in antitrust lawsuits with EU regulators, including Meta, Amazon, and Google, have visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence to make donations, Apple CEO Tim Cook is also reported to have sought support from President-elect Trump against the EU’s antitrust crackdown. Responding to big tech’s appeals for attention to the EU’s fine imposition policy, President-elect Trump stated, "I will not stand by while Europe exploits American companies."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.