Apple Pay, the tech company's mobile payment system, was hit with an antitrust complaint by the European Union.
The commission believes that Apple restricts competition by not allowing other companies to use Apple Pay in their mobile wallet applications.
The commission said that this has an exclusionary effect on competitors and leads to less innovation and less choice for consumers.
The European Commission has been a thorn in the side of Big Tech on several occasions accusing Silicon Valley companies of antitrust and fining them billions of dollars.
The EU has an antitrust charge against Apple. If the charges are substantiated, they could lead to billions of dollars in fines.
MargretheVestager, the European commissioner in charge of competition policy, said Monday that the European Commission had sent a statement of objections to Apple.
We are concerned that Apple may have distorted competition in the market for mobile wallet on Apple devices. Now Apple can answer our questions.
Apple said in a statement that Apple Pay is only one of many options available to European consumers for making payments, and has ensured equal access toNFC while setting industry-leading standards for privacy and security.
The commission said that Apple restricts competition in the mobile wallet market on the basis of limiting access to a standard technology.
We have indications that Apple restricted third-party access to key technology necessary to develop rival mobile wallet solutions on Apple's devices.
She said that Apple may have restricted competition to the benefit of its own solution. Such a conduct would be illegal under our competition rules if confirmed.
Apple did not reply immediately.
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