EU Reconsiders Tech Giant Probes Amidst Trump's Ascent

The European Commission is assessing its investigations into Apple, Meta, and Google in light of U.S. political changes. President-elect Trump's influence might affect regulatory scrutiny under the Digital Markets Act. Tech giants are lobbying for a reassessment, potentially altering or pausing fines and decisions. The re-evaluation focuses on ensuring fair competition.

The European Commission is in the process of reassessing its investigations into major tech companies like Apple, Meta, and Google's parent company, Alphabet. This reconsideration comes in the wake of U.S. President-elect Trump's impending administration, though sources indicate that his victory did not directly trigger the review.

The reevaluation may lead Brussels to modify or scale back the scope of existing probes, as stated by sources cited in the Financial Times. The review will consider all cases initiated since March 2024 under the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which imposes strict regulations on tech giants to maintain competitive balance.

While the re-evaluation is underway, decisions and potential penalties will be put on hold, although technical work on the cases will persist. The final rulings concerning Google, Apple, and Meta depend on forthcoming political directives. The European Commission, along with the three tech firms, has yet to comment on the situation.

(With inputs from agencies.)