Apple’s malicious compliance then pretending to ask for permission. Apple was trying to get the EU to rubber stamp the scare tactics. Instead the EU said let’s see that works out for you.

And fwiw we have hard evidence of Apple acting in bad faith. Gruber keeps giving Apple PR the benefit of the doubt but they absolutely do not deserve it.

At the end of that link, where it describes how the EC gave conflicting instructions, demanded action without saying what needed to be done, and then gave a sudden negative judgment... I know some iOS developers who'd say that sounds eerily familiar. :D