Europe Is Regulating Its Tech Market Out of Existence
How EU regulations cause tech firms to abandon the continent
I’m in Foreign Policy today, with a piece about how EU regulations are harming the continent’s tech future:
In June, Apple announced a new product called Apple Intelligence. It’s being sold as a new suite of features for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac that will use artificial intelligence to help you write and edit emails, create new pictures and emojis, and generally accomplish all kinds of tasks. There’s just one problem if you’re a European user eager to get your hands on it: Apple won’t be releasing it in Europe.
The company said in a statement that an entire suite of new products and features including Apple Intelligence, SharePlay screen sharing, and iPhone screen mirroring would not be released in European Union countries because of the regulatory requirements imposed by the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager called the decision a “stunning declaration” of anti-competitive behavior.
Vestager’s statement is ridiculous on its face: A tech giant choosing not to release a product invites more competition, not less, and more importantly, this is exactly what you’d expect to happen given Europe’s regulatory stance.