The European Union delayed penalizing tech giants Apple, Inc. and Meta Platforms, Inc. while attempting to reach a trade deal with Washington amid United States President Donald Trump's tariffs, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
According to the report, the EU was planning to issue cease-and-desist orders to the two US companies, potentially slapping both firms with fines. However, shortly before EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic met with the US officials in Washington, the bloc reportedly postponed the penalties and informed at least one of the companies of that timing.
Meta's case focused on whether users should be able to access Facebook and Instagram for free without being shown personalized ads, while Apple faced scrutiny over its App Store policies that require users to pay fees when using alternative payment methods outside the App Store.
