Apple, ninth fine from the Netherlands for the App Store. Meanwhile, a new proposal has been presented

We could write an article a week on the fines that the ACM, the Dutch antitrust, imposes on Apple for abuse of dominance on dating apps. But they would be photocopied articles because apart from some timid hints of reaction, Apple has so far limited itself to accumulating penalties. nothing or almost nothing has moved. The story, as we have told you, dates back to October, but the fines began to accumulate from January onwards.

From 15 January onwards in Cupertino they received sanctions at the rate of one a week, a stagnation – theirs – which impacts on the (prosperous) coffers of the company for 5 million euros per tranche. So far the ACM has issued 9 penalties in as many weeks, for one total of 45 million euros. Probably it will come in round numbers, but according to what was shared on Twitter by the Dutch journalist Nando Kasteleijn it could well be the last.

Apple would indeed have delivered in the hands of the authority of “new proposals to comply with the provisions of the law “ that would be under scrutiny by supervisors. “We hope to complete the analyzes shortly” we read in the extract that the journalist would have obtained from the ACM. “It is true that Apple had not yet met the requirements last week, so it was the shot ninth penalty. Now the total is 45 million euros “.

According to observers, it is by no means obvious that this is the final passage of a story that he sees Apple is intent on defending its economic interests not only in the Netherlands, but also in other parts of the world (such as in South Korea, alongside Google). In the same document, the ACM writes that will talk “with the various market players”that is, with the companies that Apple asks for a 30% commission for the management of payments.

Unless Apple’s proposal these days is sensationally bearish, it is unlikely that the various market players, that is the only ones who have to gain from the dispute together with the users, give up the battle right now. More likely, however, they will continue to lobby the ACM to fold Apple, with the challenge that at that point could move to court.