EU approves Apple NFC in Europe after agreeing to proposed changes
Apple on Thursday received approval for its Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in Europe. The European Union (EU) formally announced the approval after the Cupertino-based tech giant agreed to implement changes proposed by the bloc. The company first applied for approval in 2022, but the EU raised concerns about Apple’s monopoly on the technology and its refusal to allow third-party apps access to NFC. The iPhone maker now has until July 25 to implement the agreed-upon changes and keep them intact for the next decade as part of the approval process.
EU approves Apple’s NFC use in Europe
In a press releasethe EU said, “The European Commission has made commitments offered by Apple legally binding under EU antitrust rules. The commitments address the Commission’s competition concerns regarding Apple’s refusal to grant rivals access to a standard technology used for contactless payments with iPhones in stores (‘Near-Field-Communication (NFC)’ or ‘tap and go’).”
In 2022, the tech giant applied for regulatory approval of its NFC technology. At the time, however, it only made available the hardware and supporting software for its own Apple Wallet and Apple Pay apps. During its investigation, the Commission concluded that Apple had breached Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TEFU).
The article prohibits the abuse of a company’s dominant position in the market and attempts to monopolize that position. EU found that Apple’s refusal to allow third-party wallet apps access to NFC could lead to less innovation and choice for iPhone wallet users.
To address the concerns, Apple has now committed to several changes by the Commission, and as a result has received approval. The company’s most significant commitment is the decision to “give third-party wallet providers access to NFC input on iOS devices for free, without the need for them to use Apple Pay or Apple Wallet.”
Apple will also apply a fair, objective, transparent and non-discriminatory process and eligibility criteria to grant third-party app developers access to NFC. The iPhone maker has also agreed to establish separate monitoring mechanisms and dispute resolution systems to independently review Apple’s decision to restrict access.
These commitments apply not only to all 30 countries within the European Economic Area (EEA), but also to all iOS users with an Apple ID registered in that area who are temporarily travelling abroad.
