←back to thread

Apple vs the Law

(formularsumo.co.uk)
378 points tempodox | 1 comments | 11 Jul 25 06:49 UTC | HN request time: 0.217s | source
Show context
simonask ◴[11 Jul 25 08:22 UTC] No.44529604[source]▶
As a European, I have to say I am generally impressed with the EU in these cases. I'm from a country that's rich and capable, but with a GDP a fraction of Apple's market cap. There is no chance that national laws and entities would be sufficient to protect my consumer rights from corporations this size.

The EU is fundamentally a centre-right, liberalist, pro-business coalition, but what that means is that it is pro-competition. What's really impressive is that it seems to mostly refrain from devolving into protectionist policies, giving no preferential treatment to European businesses against international (intercontinental?) competitors, despite strong populist tendencies in certain member states.

replies(6): >>44529791 #>>44529860 #>>44530729 #>>44530812 #>>44530885 #>>44540013 #
FinnLobsien ◴[11 Jul 25 08:48 UTC] No.44529791[source]▶
I would argue the opposite: It actually makes European businesses worth off by continuing to make its regulatory environment so complex only massive companies like big tech or Europe's legacy players have the resources to comply.

Add to that feel-good green initiatives like a packaging initiative that might lower packaging waste from European companies, but more likely will just make European goods more expensive and cause Europeans to buy from Temu instead.

replies(10): >>44529817 #>>44529841 #>>44529944 #>>44529961 #>>44530002 #>>44530307 #>>44530446 #>>44530649 #>>44530875 #>>44532390 #
isodev ◴[11 Jul 25 10:47 UTC] No.44530649[source]▶
> regulatory environment so complex only massive companies like big tech or Europe's legacy players have the resources to comply

This is a very inaccurate view. I’ve worked with multiple SMEs and no such “complexities” ever become operational challenges. Even as a indie developer, my compliance is a default provided I’m not trying to do something shady.

Looking into the EU regulations, in most cases what they want you to do (or not do) is common sense.

replies(5): >>44530690 #>>44530693 #>>44531698 #>>44533912 #>>44537114 #
1. bjelkeman-again ◴[11 Jul 25 13:06 UTC] No.44531698[source]▶
In IT it may be the case. In foodtech it is a problem. This may sound reassuring, as we don’t really want much of the stuff being sold in the US here in the EU. But, for new approaches regarding food production the EU regulatory environment is unfortunately a morass. There are lots of regulation which is neither fact or experience based, for example around insects, or ecological labelling.