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.
Entity: BIS
Jurisdiction: United States
Summary: The App Association responded to the Department of Commerce’s request for views on its initiation of an investigation to determine the effects on the national security of imports of semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The App Association stressed the importance of semiconductors for U.S. small businesses and innovation, advocating that the extent tariffs are leveraged should be extremely limited and carefully targeted to avoid hurting American interests.
Filed: May 7, 2025
Title: ACT | The App Association Amicus Brief – U.S. v. Google search case
Entity: U.S. District Court for DC
Jurisdiction: United States
Summary: Regarding the U.S. v. Google search case, the App Association filed an amicus brief to explain how the plaintiffs’ proposed final remedies would affect the small and medium-sized app developers who use Google products to reach billions of users. The brief explains the importance of Google’s services for small app developers and expressed concerns that the plaintiffs’ proposed remedies will create uncertainty for app developers and disrupt ongoing business relationships.
Filed: May 9, 2025
Title: ACT | The App Association’s Suggestions for the European Innovation Act
Entity: RTD
Jurisdiction: European Union
Summary: The App Association sent a letter to Research Innovation Team about what should be considered when drafting the upcoming proposal for the European Innovation Act. The letter advocates for fostering a competitive artificial intelligence environment, fair platform competition and DMA implementation, and balancing simplification with essential safeguards.
Filed: May 15, 2025
Entity: European Commission
Jurisdiction: European Union
Summary: The App Association submitted comments to the European Commission’s consultation on its International Digital Strategy. The comments expressed support for the European Commission’s initiative to articulate an international digital strategy but voiced the need for seamless flow of data between economies and across political borders while still securing intellectual property protections in the creation of their digital strategy.
Filed: May 21, 2025
Entity: FTC
Jurisdiction: United States
Summary: The App Association submitted views to the Federal Trade Commission in response to its request for information regarding technology platform censorship. The comments expressed the importance of curated online marketplaces (COMs) in enabling the development of the thriving app economy and urged the Commission to avoid actions that would limit their ability to create pro-small business environments.
Filed: May 21, 2025
Entity: EU AI Office
Jurisdiction: European Union
Summary: The App Association submitted views to the European Commission AI Office in response to its request for comment on guidelines for providers of general-purpose artificial intelligence models under the AI Act. In general, the App Association supported the goal of incentivizing responsible and pro-innovation governance of advanced AI systems across their lifecycle. The comments proceed to provide specific suggestions for the next draft regarding clarity and policy changes specifically affecting small and medium-sized enterprises.
Filed: May 22, 2025
Entity: DOJ
Jurisdiction: United States
Summary: The App Association responded to the Department of Justice’s request for information on anticompetitive regulations, providing targeted recommendations on how the Trump-Vance Administration can positively impact the economic prosperity of ordinary Americans across the country through the app economy.
Filed: May 27, 2025
Entity: FTC
Jurisdiction: United States
Summary: The App Association submitted comments regarding reducing anticompetitive regulatory barriers. The comments emphasized the urgent need to address anticompetitive standard-essential patent (SEP) licensing tactics now as much of the global economy depends on wireless technologies, and that anticompetitive behaviors have real consequences from lost revenue to stalled innovation for U.S. businesses.
Filed: May 27, 2025
Entity: FTC
Jurisdiction: United States
Summary: The App Association responded to the Federal Trade Commission’s request for information on anticompetitive regulations, stating its members’ ability to grow and create American jobs faces significant challenges, exacerbated in some cases by either inaction or ill-advised policies during the previous Administration that increased regulation.
Filed: May 27, 2025