Toby Sterling

AMSTERDAM, Reuters – Monday’s Dutch antitrust watchdog fined Apple (NASDAQ:), 5 million Euros ($5.72 Million) for refusing to permit software developers in the Netherlands to use non Apple payment methods to purchase dating apps that are listed on the App Store.

Apple has been subject to weekly fines from the Authority for Consumers and Markets (5 million Euros) since January 15th, when the company failed to meet a deadline set by ACM.

Apple could not be reached immediately for comment but has published twice on its blog information about the changes that it made to conform with the Dutch orders. On Monday, however, ACM claimed that Apple had not received enough information from U.S. companies to be able to evaluate whether Apple actually was complying.

“ACM is disappointed in Apple’s behaviour and actions,” it said in a statement. It pointed out that Dutch courts had upheld their decision that Apple’s behavior violated the competition law.

Apple faces pressure from many countries about the commissions it charges for in-app purchase. The U.S. Senate approved a bill that would prohibit Alphabet (NASDAQ) Inc and Apple users from using their payment systems.

Apple on Jan. 15 first asserted it had complied with the Dutch regulator’s December order https://www.reuters.com/technology/apples-app-store-broke-competition-laws-dutch-watchdog-says-2021-12-24 , which covers only dating apps like Match Group (NASDAQ:)’s Tinder. The regulator replied that Apple had not yet implemented the changes, but it just stated it would.

On Feb. 3, Apple made a further statement on its blog https://developer.apple.com/support/storekit-external-entitlement, apparently laying out how developers could now implement the alternative payment methods.

Apple stated that it will still be charging a 27% Commission on any in-app payments it doesn’t process. This is slightly less than the current 30%. According to Apple, this was in accordance with ACM orders.

A spokesperson for ACM claimed that they could not provide any further information beyond their public statements about whether the 27% commission was consistent with the order.

Apple has appealed the ACM December 2012 decision. Apple argues that users are exposed to security risks from alternative payment methods.

($1 = 0.8744 euros)