Apple Inc. is gearing up to challenge the European Union’s latest move against Big Tech’s dominance by appealing the inclusion of the entire App Store in the bloc’s new digital antitrust list. In the face of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple is set to contest the regulator’s decision, asserting that its iMessage service should not undergo increased regulatory scrutiny.

The tech giant’s appeal, still in draft form, may evolve before the November 16 deadline for filing challenges at the EU’s General Court. Apple and the European Commission have not provided immediate comments on the matter.

This potential legal standoff adds another layer to Apple’s existing disputes with the EU, including an ongoing battle over alleged unpaid taxes in Ireland and separate antitrust probes into its tap-and-pay technology and treatment of music streaming rivals.

The EU’s DMA rules introduce a stringent framework for major digital firms, enhancing the antitrust powers of the EU commission. The regulations prohibit platforms from favoring their own services, restrict the combination of personal data across services, prevent the use of data from third-party merchants to compete against them, and mandate the allowance of app downloads from rival platforms.

Despite the pending appeal, Apple is obliged to comply with the DMA rules when they become effective on March 6. The company has indicated its intention to make changes to the App Store in response to the new regulations.

The EU’s Digital Markets Act covers 22 major tech services, including Google Search, Apple’s Safari, Amazon’s marketplace, TikTok, and Facebook.

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