Apple's third-party payments offer isn't enough for Dutch regulators

According to 9to5Mac and the Coalition for App Fairness, the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (or ACM) has reportedly rejected Apple's proposed App Store changes that would let dating app developers use third-party payment systems. The Dutch regulator ordered the change in December and is going back and forth with the company on how it should be implemented - and fined Apple millions along the way. Now, Apple may face further penalties.

According to a journalist's tweet translated by 9to5Mac, the regulator says Apple's most recent proposal to let developers use third-party payment systems is an "improvement" on its previous ideas, but it is still "European". And it's not enough to comply with Dutch rules." Apple and ACM did not immediately respond to The Verge's request for comment.

Apple's latest proposal, which it submitted on March 27, states that dating app devs can use either a third-party payment system or Apple, not both, and that developers should warn users that they can't use Apple's payment system. cannot use. were supposed to interact with the system. not hold. The same applies when a developer sends users to their site to complete a purchase.

Apple also said that developers using alternative payment systems will still have to pay the company a 27 percent commission on in-app sales, while it takes 30 percent from most in-app payments using its system. (If developers made less than $1 million in annual revenue, that would be highly unfavorable compared to Apple's small business program rate of 15 percent.)

Apple previously proposed that dating app developers - those affected only by the ACM's order - would have to submit separate versions of their apps for the Netherlands. Its plan dropped that requirement in March after the regulator dismissed a previous proposal as being "unfair."

In late March, ACM said it was evaluating Apple's proposal after the company was fined $55 million. The regulator said it may "impose another order (possibly this time with greater penalties) subject to payment of the penalty from time to time" if it found that Apple's proposal was not sufficient. It was evaluating penalties on a weekly basis, charging the company €5 million (about $5.6 million) each week it did not comply with – up to a maximum of €50 million (about $55 million at the time). Now that the limit has been crossed, the regulator is reportedly working on additional penalties, saying the original "was not the desired outcome."

The Coalition for App Fairness has applauded ACM's decision. The advocacy group, made up of companies such as Epic Games, Spotify, Basecamp and Match Group (which makes dating apps like Tinder, Match.com and OKCupid), is protesting the App Store's high fees and role. a wonderful place. To get software for iPhone and iPad. In a statement released on Monday, the group said it "stands to support ACM as it continues to seek fair treatment and remedies for developers," even as Apple is "at all costs" " is. The monopoly is trying hard to protect the power.

The coalition also said that Apple's rejected proposal "imposed unnecessary requirements that create friction, intended to discourage dating app developers from taking advantage of the ACM order."