Dutch consumers win right to sue Apple over App Store practices

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled on 2 December 2025 that Dutch courts have the authority to hear a collective antitrust case against Apple: meaning the company can be sued in the Netherlands for alleged damages related to its App Store practices.

The lawsuit was filed by two consumer-rights foundations, Stichting Right to Consumer Justice and Stichting App Stores Claims, on behalf of users of iPhones and iPads in the Netherlands. They claim Apple abused its dominant position by charging developers high commissions (up to 30%) for in-app purchases. Those costs, they argue, were passed on to Dutch users, inflating app prices and limiting competition.

Apple had argued the Dutch court lacked jurisdiction, because its European operations are headquartered in Ireland and because users might be located elsewhere when purchasing. But the CJEU rejected that view, ruling that because Apple’s App Store for the Netherlands is localised (language, pricing, payment systems, targeting Dutch Apple IDs), any harm done can be considered to occur within Dutch territory. That establishes both international and territorial jurisdiction for Dutch courts.

Potential scale of damages

The foundations estimate the damages at around €637 million, covering approximately 14 million Dutch iPhone and iPad users (seven million iPhone users and seven million iPad users).

With the jurisdiction hurdle cleared, a full hearing on the merits of the case is expected in a Dutch court in early 2026.

If the court finds Apple’s App Store practices unlawful, (for example, because of unfair commissions or abuse of dominance) the damages awarded could be substantial not just in this case, but as a precedent for similar lawsuits across the EU. Several media and legal-analysis outlets call the ruling “a milestone” for digital-market accountability in Europe.

Why the court’s decision matters

• Jurisdictional precedent for digital marketplaces: The court’s reasoning: that a localised store targeting a national market opens the way for domestic courts to hear cases, could apply to other tech firms operating pan-European digital storefronts.
• Boost for collective redress under EU law: The case shows how national consumer foundations can leverage the EU legal framework and recent collective-redress rules to challenge global platforms.
• Potential shake-up in App Store economics: If Apple loses, not only could damages be awarded but the company might face pressure to change its in-app payment and commission policies for Dutch (and possibly other EU) markets.

Apple’s reaction

Apple has said it disagrees with the court’s ruling, calling the decision purely procedural and defending the merits of its App Store model.

Still, with the CJEU decision in hand, the Dutch court preparing the case can now proceed. The first hearing is expected early next year. The outcome could influence not only this lawsuit, but wider debates across Europe about platform practices, digital competition law, and consumer rights.