Netherlands Approves Apple's New Rules for Allowing Alternative Payments Methods in Dating Apps

The Netherlands has announced that Apple's revised rules for allowing alternative payment methods in dating apps will meet its requirements.

Apple was ordered to permit developers to use third party payment systems last year. The company failed to comply with the order by the set deadline, racking up tens of millions in fines. Yesterday, it announced its third set of proposed rules for developers which appear to finally meet requirements.

Here's the statement from the Authority for Consumers and Markets...


Apple has changed its unfair conditions, and will now allow different methods of payment in Dutch dating apps. With this concession, Apple will meet the requirements that the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) set under European and Dutch competition rules. Until recently, customers of dating apps had only been able to pay using the payment method that Apple imposed. In ACM’s opinion, Apple abused its dominant position with those practices. From now on, dating-app providers are able to let their customers pay in different ways. ACM forced these changes by imposing an order subject to periodic penalty payments. In the end, the sum of all penalty payments totaled 50 million euros.

Martijn Snoep, Chairman of the Board of ACM, explains: “We want everyone to be able to reap the benefits of the digital economy. In the digital economy, powerful companies have a special responsibility to keep the market fair and open. Apple avoided that responsibility, and abused its dominant position vis-à-vis dating-app providers. We are glad that Apple has finally brought its conditions in line with European and Dutch competition rules. That offers app providers more opportunities to compete. And consumers will ultimately reap the benefits, too.”

Apple is facing similar antitrust legislation across the globe. The European Commission says that the Digital Markets Act regulating app stores will 'enter into force next spring'. Apple has vehemently opposed the DMA which will make it illegal to restrict which apps users can install on their devices. Additionally, the DMA will force Apple to permit third party payment systems, and make iMessage interoperable.

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