This doesn't matter. Apple will impose "app notarization" (you can distribute apps through alternative app stores BUT apple still approves (or not) apps)

This approval is not optional, not free, and dependent on developer acceptance of a runtime fee. If your app gets installed on >1 million devices, it's 0.5euro per install (heh ... euro, I bet someone in apple management thought that was clever, funny and very insulting to the EU. I get it ... heh. Funny. I hope they'll be made to regret that)

By the way, NO, not just a runtime fee. Also a 10% tax on all payments made through any third party payment service, you don't get to use Apple APIs, ... lots of other limitations.

So they removed the app store requirement, but aren't allowing sideloading (anymore than before), and kept both Apple as gatekeepers AND the fees everyone's complaining about.

So now the question is: does the EU have the balls to restrict apple imports or impose the fines they threatened?

Indeed, that is the question. My guess is no, and Apple knows it which is why they're complying in such a malicious way. They could definitely surprise me, and i hope they do. I'm in the US so don't have a perspective on the EU beyond what I've read online, but it takes so long to iterate and Apple can drag it out a long time and wear people down, and they are clearly going to embrace malicious compliance to the maximum extent.