The CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, is in Brussels on Tuesday, where he met EU Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton, while also finding time to drop by the local Apple store.
Just days after the release of the company's new iPhone 15, Cook visited Brussels, where he met Breton to discuss the EU Digital Markets Act, which came into force in May this year.
The two officials discussed Apple's incorporation of the USB-C universal charging port into its new range of iPhones – over a year ahead of the deadline set by a European law the company had long fought.
After the meeting, Breton called on Cook to open up the company's fiercely guarded ecosystem of hardware and software to rivals.
"The next job for Apple and other Big Tech, under the DMA (Digital Markets Act), is to open up its gates to competitors," Breton told Reuters. "Be it the electronic wallet, browsers or app stores, consumers using an Apple iPhone should be able to benefit from competitive services by a range of providers."
The EU is "a major market for US companies" and an opportunity to innovate and diversify their supply chains, Breton stressed. The DMA aims to put an end to the unfair practices of tech giants. Large technology companies, including Apple, occupy key market positions and are now considered "gatekeepers" – meaning they will now have to comply with a series of rules.
Additionally, Cook also visited the Belgian capital's local Apple store on Avenue de la Toison d'Or to "connect with team members and customers," and posted a photo of himself and the staff on social media.
