Apple has filed an appeal against the €500 million fine imposed by the European Union, accusing Brussels of forcing it to introduce changes that are “harmful” to consumers.

The European Commission imposed the penalty in April after finding that Apple had prevented developers from directing customers outside the App Store to take advantage of cheaper offers, in violation of EU rules on competition in digital services.

“We filed an appeal today because we believe the European Commission's decision — and the unprecedented fine — go beyond what is required by law,” Apple said.

“The Commission is insisting on dictating how we run our store and imposing business terms that confuse developers and are harmful to consumers. We made these changes to avoid daily fines, and we will present the facts to the EU Court,” the company added.

Last month, Apple announced changes to its App Store payment rules in Europe to avoid serious new daily penalties, including allowing developers to offer different payment methods directly in their apps. The Commission is currently assessing these changes.

The EU imposed the fine under its groundbreaking Digital Markets Act, a regulatory framework that Apple has often criticized, arguing that it has no choice but to make changes under the threat of huge fines. | BGNES