On 14 June 2022, the Bundeskartellamt has initiated a proceeding against Apple for reason of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency Framework and tracking rules. The Bundeskartellamt has reasonable suspicion that Apple’s rules allow the company favor to its own services by applying the rules to third parties only while exempting itself from being subject to these rules.

This proceeding is subsequent to an earlier proceeding against Apple on 21 Juni 2021, which focused on whether Apple is of paramount significance across markets pursuant to Section 19a(1) of the German Competition Act. The decision is yet to be concluded. This proceeding is based on Section 19a(2) if the German Competition Act and article 102 TFEU. [1]

[1] ‘Bundeskartellamt reviews Apple’s tracking rules for third-party apps’, 14-06-2022, website Bundeskartellamt.