The Coalition for App Fairness Calls on European Regulators to Investigate and Change App Store Policies
Leading companies join together to voice their concerns and advocate for a level playing field in Europe
BRUSSELS, Nov. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coalition for App Fairness (CAF), an alliance of European and international app developers, announced today that it is increasing its efforts to work with policymakers on upcoming EU platform regulation, serving as a fierce advocate for developers who have been harmed by Apple's unfair policies and protecting European consumers' freedom of choice.
The EU has demonstrated its concerns about Apple's anticompetitive behaviour and its desire to protect innovation with multiple investigations from the European Commission and the French and Dutch competition authorities. In addition, the Coalition strives to ensure that the forthcoming EU regulation on gatekeeper platforms reflects the 10 "App Store Principles," a series of guiding rules to establish a fair standard of conduct across the app ecosystem. These principles ensure that every app developer, regardless of size or the nature of its business, is entitled to a level playing field and fair treatment by the app stores and the platform owners who operate them.
"The chorus of concerns that various practices of Apple with regard to the App Store and its iOS ecosystem constitute anti-competitive and unfair behaviour is only growing louder. This includes self-preferencing and the obligation on app developers selling digital goods and services to use Apple's in-app payment solution (IAP) and pay a 30% commission," said Damien Geradin, the Coalition's outside counsel.
European members account for CAF's largest regional membership base. Current members include the Austrian medical startup, Breath Ball; French music streaming service, Deezer; Spanish parental control service, Qustodio; Scandinavian media group, Schibsted, and countless more that have been impacted by Apple's unfair and monopolistic actions.
"Apple wields unchecked power and regulates the app stores with such excessive control that great ideas, innovative apps, and useful services have no chance of survival," said Sarah Maxwell, Deputy Director of CAF. "We believe in a fair and open ecosystem that embraces ingenuity, provides consumers choice, and enables developers to thrive, which is why we're working in Europe to help change the status quo."
The EU-based and international Coalition members represent the growing global traction of CAF's mission for widespread adoption of the App Store principles.
"European news publishers suffer from Apple's anti-competitive commercial practices and we have long expressed concerns over Apple's behaviour in the online marketplace," said Angela Mills Wade, Executive Director at European Publishers Council. "As the European Commission formally investigates Apple's business practices, the Coalition for App Fairness will be an important leading voice for European companies in advocating for necessary reform in the App Stores."
European app creators, developers, and companies are welcome to join the Coalition for App Fairness at appfairness.org.
About the Coalition for App Fairness
The Coalition for App Fairness is an independent nonprofit organisation formed to protect consumer choice, foster competition, and create a level playing field for all app and game developers globally. Originally formed by Basecamp, Blix, Blockchain.com, Deezer, Epic Games, the European Publishers Council, Match Group, News Media Europe, Prepear, Protonmail, Skydemon, Spotify, and Tile, CAF has rapidly grown from 13 to 50 members since launching in September. CAF offers membership to companies of any size — join today at appfairness.org.
CONTACT:
Sarah Maxwell
+44 07539 449883
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