DMA litigation against Apple: a quick recap
The Digital Markets Act aimed to open Europe’s digital ecosystems, but that promise is now being tested. In Apple v. European Commission, Apple challenges key DMA rules on interoperability and user choice at the EU's highest court. The FSFE is intervening to defend user freedoms. The public hearing takes place Tuesday, 21 October.
Interoperability for the public interest
At the heart of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) there are measures that require gatekeepers to avoid practices that lock users and developers into closed ecosystems. For example, rules that enable users to uninstall pre-installed apps, to install and use third-party app stores and apps (side-loading), and to obtain access to hardware and software features needed for third-party software to work. Those interoperability and access obligations are not abstract: they are the technical and legal levers that allow Free Software programs to be installed, updated, and integrated on mobile devices, and to compete with gatekeepers’ services. Without effective interoperability, Free Software is blocked from reaching users, developers face technically imposed barriers, and everyone loses the market advantages of a levelled playing field as foreseen by the DMA.
That is why, when Apple decided to fight some of these rules in court, we at the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) decided to step in as a civil-society intervener in T-1080/23, Apple v. European Commission. In this case in front of the European Union Court of Justice, Apple challenges obligations imposed by the DMA. Apple was designated as a DMA “gatekeeper” in September 2023 and began litigation soon afterwards; the FSFE requested to intervene in February 2024, the Court allowed the intervention, and the FSFE has submitted written arguments ahead of the public hearing scheduled in Luxembourg on 21 October. The FSFE is represented in court by the lawyer Dr. Martin Husovec and is bringing the civil-society perspective to ensure that the court sees the wider implications for developers and users.
Apple argues that the DMA infringes on its fundamental rights, claiming that the interoperability obligations are “expropriating” the company’s “intellectual-property rights”. We disagree. In our intervention, we emphasize that Apple’s obligations under the DMA are not arbitrary restrictions but regulations adopted in the public interest: to safeguard competition, innovation, and consumer choice. The DMA’s purpose is to prevent gatekeepers from unilaterally controlling access to digital ecosystems that have become essential infrastructures. Ensuring interoperability and user freedom is a legitimate and proportionate way to serve those goals
“Standing against a corporate giant like Apple, which has billions of euros to hinder Software Freedom, reflects the FSFE's commitment to preserving open and competitive digital environments. The FSFE's intervention is fundamental for Device Neutrality, ensuring that users and developers are not locked into proprietary systems and can freely choose and use the software they want.”states Lucas Lasota, FSFE Legal Programme Manager.
Why this case matters – and how you can help
How the Court interprets and enforces the DMA in this case will shape whether those interoperability rights are real and usable in practice. It will affect whether Free Software can be an accessible, competitive alternative on billions of devices, or remain constrained by proprietary lock-in. The FSFE is the only civil-society organisation intervening to defend software freedom in these proceedings, but strategic litigation is resource-intensive: preparing submissions, expert work, and travel to Luxembourg for the hearing all require funding. If you value device neutrality, interoperability and the ability of Free Software to flourish, please consider supporting our intervention! Your donation directly helps us appear in court and keep defending user and developer rights!