Throughout the year, our policy team submits filings with government bodies worldwide to advocate for a regulatory environment that inspires and rewards innovation. From issues around regulating artificial intelligence to digital trade, our team is ACTive on a wide range of topics that could have a positive or negative impact on our small business members driving the app economy. Below is a roundup of our filings from around the globe this past month.

 

Title:  Feedback of ACT | The App Association to the French Competition Authority regarding its Consultation on the introduction of a merger control framework for addressing below-threshold mergers likely to harm competition

Entity: Autorité de la concurrence

 Jurisdiction: France

 Summary: The App Association responded to the French Competition Authority’s consultation on its merger control framework, highlighting that acquisition of small to medium-sized companies by larger companies with resources and knowledge to improve products can be beneficial to both the end-consumers and the business owners.  The App Association also argued that any framework that uses market definition must be data driven, specific, and based on facts.

Filed: February 12, 2025

 

Title:  Testimony of ACT | The App Association on Competition in Digital Ecosystems of Mobile Devices

 Entity: MJSP. CADE

 Jurisdiction: Brazil

 Summary: The App Association responded to the Public Hearing on Competition in Digital Ecosystems of Mobile Devices (iOS and Android) before the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE). The App Association emphasized that Brazil must evaluate the mobile app ecosystem and keep its competitive and innovative nature, stating that Brazil must avoid any policy changes that improperly disrupts growth and job creation in this dynamic ecosystem.

 Filed: February 12, 2025

Title: Comments of ACT | The App Association to the Treasury – Requests for Comments, Proposal Paper: A New Digital Competition Regime

 Entity: Australian Treasury

 Jurisdiction: Australia

 Summary: The App Association submitted a response to the Australian Treasury’s proposal paper, A New Digital Competition Regime, emphasizing that the Treasury must not only consider just the two app stores of Google and Apple. Instead, a broad range of digital platforms serve countless consumers. The response also warned that policymakers should be wary of well-resourced competitors’ opportunistic behavior disguised as antitrust concerns, stating that, while they often imply they are speaking for the app economy, they tend to be larger companies seeking to use antitrust law or other policy levers to undermine competitors.

 Filed: February 14, 2025

 

Title: ACT | The App Association’s Response to the Intellectual Property Office, the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on Copyright and Artificial Intelligence

Entity: UK IPO, DSIT, and DCMS

 Jurisdiction: United Kingdom

 Summary: The App Association commented on how the government can ensure the UK’s legal framework for AI and copyright supports the UK creative industries and AI sector together. The App Association argued that its members benefit from copyright protections and the use and deployment of AI systems is important, advocating for clear policy guidance on how the UK will evaluate liability associated with text and data mining.

 Filed: February 25, 2025

 

Title: Written Follow-up to Questions Posed during February 19, 2025 Testimony on Public Hearing Regarding the 2025 Special 301 Review

 Entity: USTR

 Jurisdiction: United States

 Summary: The App Association provided written follow-up after testifying to the Office of the United States Trade Representative on February 19, 2025. Further information was provided on non-tariff trade barrier policies in Indonesia, India, and Switzerland, including India’s lack of compliance with the WIPO Internet Treaties.

Filed: February 26, 2025