Apple has eliminated thousands of applications from its European Union application store for not complying with the Digital Services Law, which requires developers to provide a verified address, email and telephone number.
This movement is part of Apple's broader efforts to adhere to new regulations aimed at increasing transparency and responsibility in digital markets. Developers who have not sent the required information will see their deleted applications until they provide and verify the status of their operator.
Why Apple is eliminating EU App Store Applications
The Digital Services Law, a historical European legislation, requires that all merchants who distribute applications in the EU show their contact data, which guarantees that consumers can identify and reach companies more easily.
Apple introduced a “merchant state” requirement for developers who reveal their contact data. This information is published on the APP Store product page every time an application is available in an EU Member State.
Since October 16, 2024, Apple has required the state of the merchant for developers who send new applications or updates for the App Store in the EU. He also began to warn that the existing applications of developers without a state of the merchant will be eliminated from EU shop windows on February 17, 2025.
Applications will not be restored without the verified operator status
Now that the compliance deadline has passed, the affected applications will not be restored in the EU Applications Tirn “until Apple provides and verifies the state of the merchant.” Developers can send their data and request the state of the merchant through App Store Connect.
The organizations will have already provided their address by sending their Luns number, but people must send their own together with their number and email, whether they wish in the public registry or not.
Digital Services Law: What developers need to know
The Digital Services Law has been in force since 2022; However, it was only completely enforced for all entities regulated on February 17, 2024. Before that, only “very large” online services, those with more than 45 million monthly active users in the EU, including the App Store, they had to comply with most provisions.
The specific requirement for developers to declare the status of their merchant also became mandatory for all platforms, including very large services, on the deadline of February 2024, but they were given a transition period of 12 months.
Who qualifies as a merchant under the DSA?
Articles 30 and 31 of the Law require that online platforms collect and verify the contact data of the merchant and ensure that they are clearly accessible to consumers. Merchants are defined as any person or entity that offers goods or services in the EU, regardless of their location, for commercial purposes.
An application developer can be considered a merchant if it is:
- Get income from payable applications, purchases in the application or advertising.
- They are registered for VAT in the EU.
- Develop your application professionally instead of how a hobby.
Apple's broader compliance efforts
Beyond the application movements, Apple has taken other actions in recent months to guarantee DSA compliance, including the publication of its DSA transparency report, detailing the moderation of content and compliance measures. It also established a repair mechanism so that developers can appeal content moderation decisions.
Apple's approach highlights how platforms are forced to adapt to stricter rules about digital responsibility and consumer protection.
