By Tom Phillips[1] • • Updated • nfcw.com[2]
The European Union is to publish a report next week that will provide further information on the results of its investigation into Apple Pay[3] and could lead to new legislation forcing Apple to provide more open access to the NFC chip in its devices, according to “documents obtained by Bloomberg”.
“The report is set to be unveiled next week by the European Commission as part of a package of policy proposals,” Bloomberg says.
“It includes a footnote to a competition case launched by the European Commission’s antitrust arm in June, which is seeking to assess whether the iPhone giant unfairly blocks other providers from using the tap-and-go functionality on its smartphones.”
The EC says in the report that: “In parallel with its ongoing and future competition enforcement, the Commission will examine whether it is appropriate to propose legislation aimed at securing a right of access under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory conditions, to technical infrastructures considered necessary to support the provision of payment services,” the publication adds.
It explains that any legislation would take “due account of the potential security and other risks that such access could pose”, and goes on to “spell out criteria determining to whom and under what conditions access rights should be granted”.
