Brussels tech reporters anticipating a Commission response to Trump's tariffs have been eyeing the Berlaymont in recent days like warriors gathering for a siege.
Unfortunately, many of them are already lost in the fog of war.
The Financial Times fired thefirst shot with its prediction last week that Apple and Meta would be let off the hook and pay very small fines for breaches of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) – the Commission's flagship tool to punish Big Tech when they abuse their dominant position on platforms like Facebook and the Apple AppStore.
The reason for low-balling the fines, according to the FT? Fear of Trump's retaliation.
The newspaper also predicted an announcement from the Commission this week, hedging to note “that timing could also still change”.
America's Politico was evenmore impatient, speculating that the EU’s “three yearlong investigations (sic)” would come to a close, “with announcements that could come as late as the end of the week”.
These half-hearted predictions have put many in Brussels on edge. They shouldn't.
Read more.
