French court fines Apple for abusive App Store practices

The French commercial court in Paris today fined Apple $1 million for abusive practices in the App Store Reuters. Apple imposed unfair commercial clauses on French app developers for access to the App Store, according to the ruling.

The decision is the result of a multi-year investigation by the French Consumer Protection and Fraud Authority (DGCCRF), under the supervision of the French Ministry of Finance. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire is fighting for developers’ rights and believes that Apple and Google’s app stores are taking advantage of software developers. Its investigation found that there are “significant imbalances” in the relationship between Apple and Google and the developers who sell apps to those stores.

That statement, Apple said it would review the court’s decision and continue to work with French developers. The company also said it believes in “vibrant and competitive markets” that allow innovation to flourish.

We are carefully reviewing this French court decision and continue to work hard to support developers and provide a safe experience for users.

Through the App Store, we have helped French developers of all sizes to share their passion and creativity with users around the world, while creating a safe and reliable place for customers.

The fine imposed on Apple is small in terms of the company’s revenue, but it could potentially lead to orders to change the rules of the App Store.

Apple is dealing with a number of other inquiries about its App Store and business practices in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, to name a few.