Apple’s appeal is still in draft form and could change before the Nov. 16 deadline to file challenges at the EU’s General Court, the people said who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. (AP)

Apple Taking a Stand Against EU’s Big Tech Takeover!

Apple Inc. is gearing up to contest the European Union’s recent crackdown on the overwhelming influence of Big Tech, initiating the first of many anticipated appeals against the Digital Markets Act.

The company disputes the EU regulator’s decision to include the entire App Store block in the new digital cartel list. It also argues that its iMessage service should not face closer scrutiny from regulators, according to people familiar with the matter.

Apple’s appeal is still in draft and could change before a Nov. 16 deadline to file challenges at the EU’s general court, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. Apple and the European Commission did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The move could set the stage for a new legal dispute between the world’s largest technology company and the EU. Apple is battling EU lawyers over alleged unpaid Irish taxes. Apple also faces separate EU competition restrictions over its tap-to-pay technology and the treatment of music streaming rivals such as Spotify Technology SA.

The bloc’s new DMA rules impose a rigid regime on the biggest digital companies and increase the EU Commission’s current powers as an antitrust watchdog in the region.

It is illegal for certain platforms to favor their own services over competitors’ services. They must not combine personal data across their services, they must not use data they collect from third-party merchants to compete against them, and they must allow users to download apps from competing platforms.

While the appeal is pending, Apple will still have to comply with the rules when they go into effect on March 6. Apple said in a filing this month that it expects to make changes to the App Store as a result of the group’s new rules.

Alphabet Inc.’s Google Search, Apple’s Safari, Amazon.com Inc.’s marketplace, Bytedance Ltd.’s TikTok and Meta Platforms Inc.’s Facebook are among the list of 22 Big Tech services covered by this program. EU Digital Market Act.