Eighteen organisations, coordinated by the Coalition for App Fairness, told the European Commission in a September 8, 2026 open letter that Apple’s revised App Store terms, due to take effect October 1, still do not comply with the Digital Markets Act. The letter carries no legal force by itself; it asks the Commission to consult affected parties before accepting Apple’s terms and to state which DMA proceedings against Apple remain open.
Key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Letter dated | September 8, 2026 |
| Organiser | Coalition for App Fairness |
| Signatories | 18 organisations, reported to include the European Games Developer Federation, European Publishers Council, European Tech Alliance, France Digitale, News Media Europe, Euroconsumers and Uptodown |
| Addressed to | Reported as Commission President von der Leyen and Executive Vice-Presidents Ribera and Virkkunen |
| Apple’s new EU terms take effect | October 1, 2026 |
| Apple’s public comment on the letter | None found as of this writing |
What the letter says
The Coalition for App Fairness’ own letter states: “Apple’s revised framework does not resolve Apple’s non-compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and continues to undermine meaningful competition both within and outside the App Store.” It adds: “Excessive fees and restrictive conditions risk preventing alternative distribution channels from developing into effective competitors, narrowing choice and innovation.”
The letter’s two demands are specific: that the Commission consult affected developers and businesses before accepting Apple’s October 1 terms, and that it clarify which of its DMA proceedings against Apple remain formally open, then conclude them.
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The two fees at the center of the complaint
Reporting on the letter describes it as focusing on two charges in Apple’s EU terms. Both figures below come from Apple’s own published EU terms; the characterization in the right-hand column is the letter’s argument, not a finding by the Commission or a fact established by any tribunal.
| Fee | Rate | The letter’s argument |
|---|---|---|
| Steering fee | 15% | Reported to conflict with DMA Article 5(4), which the Commission read as requiring free steering when it fined Apple €500 million in April 2025 |
| Core Technology Commission | 5% | Reported to “replace one disincentive with another” |
A tension with the Commission’s own record
The Commission had welcomed Apple’s August 18 changes to its EU App Store terms before this letter arrived. The letter lands 23 days before those terms take effect, and asks the same Commission to consult affected parties and revisit open proceedings rather than let the October 1 deadline settle the matter. Apple’s September 9 product event and the iOS 27 release due Monday are unconnected to this regulatory question, though both fall in the same crowded month for Apple.
Apple’s position
Apple has not issued a statement responding to the September 8 letter. Apple’s own account of its EU terms, published when it announced the August changes, describes the steering fee and Core Technology Commission as its response to the Commission’s earlier findings, not as a concession that its terms fall short. The letter disputes that account; neither side’s characterization should be treated as settled.
None of the 18 signatories named in reporting on the letter is Apple, and the letter itself is addressed to the Commission rather than to the company. That distinction matters procedurally: the Commission, not the coalition, decides whether Apple’s October 1 terms satisfy the DMA, and only the Commission can reopen or formally close the proceedings the letter references.
What Apple has not said
Apple has not commented publicly on the September 8 letter, and the European Commission has not said whether it will consult affected parties before October 1 or published a timetable for closing any open DMA proceeding against Apple. Both would be the clearest signs of what happens next.
Apple’s revised terms are due to take effect October 1, 2026. Anyone tracking this dispute should check the European Commission’s own DMA case pages and Apple’s EU developer terms directly as that date approaches, rather than assuming either side’s letter settles the outcome.
