Apps that have not complied with the trader requirement in the European Union have been removed from the App Store, Apple informed developers today. The apps that have been removed will not be allowed back in the ‌App Store‌ until trader status is provided and verified by Apple.
Disclosing trader status is a requirement of the Digital Services Act (DSA) in the EU. Developers who distribute apps in the European Union need to share information with customers that includes address, phone number, and email address, with that data listed in the EU ‌App Store‌.
Apple warned developers several times that apps without verified trader status would be removed from the ‌App Store‌ on February 17, 2025, and that has now happened. Apple has required new apps and app updates to include trader information for quite some time now, so most apps should have been updated. Trader status information can be added through ‌App Store‌ Connect.
The DSA requires Apple to verify and display contact details for all "traders" who are distributing apps on the ‌App Store‌ in the European Union. Developers who make money from the ‌App Store‌ through an upfront purchase price or through in-app purchases are considered traders, regardless of size.
Independent developers and small companies may not have dedicated business addresses and phone numbers to provide to customers, so some developers have been unhappy with the EU's requirement. Developer contact information will be displayed on the ‌‌App Store‌‌ product page when an app is distributed in any of the 27 territories in the EU.
More information on determining who is a trader and who needs to provide contact details can be found on Apple's website.
