Apple Pay EU hearing: Company to defend mobile payment system

Apple Inc will seek to convince EU antitrust regulators that it does not block rivals’ access to its technology used for mobile wallets at a closed hearing on February 14, people familiar with the matter said, the last chance for it to do so before possible hefty fines.

The hearing, which senior European Commission and national competition officials, Apple executives and complainants will attend, comes nine months after the EU competition watchdog accused the company of abusing its market power.

The EU antitrust watchdog has said Apple’s anti-competitive practices dated back to 2015 when Apple Pay was launched.