NIXsolutions: EU App Store Changes from Feb 2025

Starting 17 February 2025, the European Union Digital Services Act (DSA) will require all apps without verified trader status to be removed from the App Store in EU countries until this status is provided and, if necessary, verified.

To comply with the DSA, Apple mandates that developers distributing apps in European Economic Area (EEA) countries must publish specific contact details. This includes a physical address, telephone number, and email address, which will be visible on the app’s product page in the App Store.

NIXsolutions

For organizations, Apple will automatically extract the address from their D-U-N-S number, but developers must still manually provide a phone number and email. Individual developers are required to share an address (or P.O. box), phone number, and email. These requirements became effective on 17 October 2024. Developers who fail to provide the necessary details by the February 2025 deadline risk their apps being removed from the App Store in the EEA.

Who Qualifies as a Trader?

Under the DSA, a trader is anyone offering goods or services through digital platforms, such as the App Store, to EEA users in a commercial context, notes NIXsolutions.

Key criteria include:

  • Commercial activity: Profit-driven activities like selling apps, subscriptions, in-game purchases, or other digital goods and services.
  • EEA availability: Apps accessible to EEA users qualify the developer as a trader.
  • Legal status: Both organizations (legal entities) and sole proprietors are considered traders if they offer services commercially.
What Developers Need to Do

If your app is available on the App Store in the EEA, you must adhere to the transparency and disclosure requirements of the DSA. This ensures compliance with the EU’s commitment to protecting digital consumers.

Yet we’ll keep you updated as these changes unfold, helping developers navigate the new regulations effectively.