UK Poised to Implement New Regulations Targeting Apple and Google, Possibly Impacting US Trade Talks
The United Kingdom is reportedly preparing to introduce new regulations specifically aimed at Apple and Google, a move that could influence upcoming trade discussions with the United States. While the UK has already engaged in negotiations regarding US tariffs, the specifics of these new digital market rules are expected to be unveiled during President Trump’s visit to the UK in late July, according to the Washington Examiner.
These proposed regulations have drawn a strong reaction from Apple, with a spokesperson stating that they “will undermine the privacy and security protections that our users have come to expect, hamper our ability to innovate, and force us to give away our technology for free to foreign competitors.” Apple has indicated its intention to continue engaging with the UK regulator to ensure a full understanding of these potential risks. Google has not yet issued a public statement on the matter.
President Trump is anticipated to leverage any new UK regulations targeting tech giants in his trade negotiations, given his administration’s prior responses to overseas fines levied against American companies. During a discussion on July 8, Trump commented on similar regulations in the European Union, stating, “Look at what they do to our companies. They sue Apple, they sue Google. $17 billion they got from Apple on a lawsuit that they didn’t have a case.” It is indeed possible Trump was referencing a UK lawsuit concerning App Store fees, which could potentially result in fines up to $1.83 billion, or he may have conflated the situation with a recent EU tax case were Apple ultimately paid $15 billion to Ireland. Trump further expressed his view that “They have,you know,judges that are European Union judges. They take so much money away from [the US] in terms of that, in terms of other things that they do.”
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) initiated investigations into the market dominance of both Apple and Google at the begining of 2025.
Looking Ahead
During his visit, president Trump is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss various trade matters, including agriculture and other trade barriers between the two nations. US officials have acknowledged awareness of the proposed UK legislation, asserting that it will not contravene the existing trade agreement between the US and the UK.
This development follows a previous instance where the UK demanded Apple provide a government “back door” to bypass its encryption. In response, Apple discontinued its Advanced Data Protection feature in the UK. The US government has previously voiced strong support for this feature,with lawmakers and intelligence agencies denouncing the UK’s actions as a “secretive attack against Apple encryption.”
