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Brussels is re-examining its investigations into tech giants including Apple, Meta and Google, as US groups urge President-elect Donald Trump to intervene against what they describe as excessive implementation of the EU.

The review, which could lead to scaling back the European Commission or changing the remit of investigations, will include all cases launched since March last year under EU digital market regulationsaccording to two officials briefed on the move.

It comes as the Brussels body begins a new five-year term amid mounting pressure to handle landmark cases and as Trump prepares to return to the White House next week.

“It’s going to be a whole new ballgame with this tech oligarchs who are very close to Trump and are using that to pressure us,” said a senior EU diplomat briefed on the review. “There’s so much in the air right now.”

All decisions and potential fines will be put on hold while the review is completed, but technical work on the cases will continue, officials said.

While some of the investigations reviewed are at an early stage, others are more advanced. Last year’s investigation into Google’s alleged favoritism in its app store was expected.

Two other EU officials said that regulators in Brussels are now waiting for political direction to make final decisions in the cases of Google, Apple and Meta.

The review comes as EU lawmakers called for the commission to hold its nerve against US pressure, while Silicon Valley bosses hailed Trump’s return as the start of an era of lighter tech regulation.

Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Meta, on Friday called on the president-elect to stop Brussels from fining US tech companies, complaining that EU regulators forced them to pay “more than $30bn ” of punishments for the last 20 years.

Zuckerberg, who recently announced plans to eliminate fact-checking of Facebook and Instagram – which may violate EU rules – said he is confident that the incoming Trump administration wants to protect American interests abroad.

The implications of Trump’s presidency were a factor in the review, one of the officials said, while insisting that his victory did not trigger it.

The commission said it “remains fully committed to the effective implementation” of its rules. “There will be no delay in closing open non-compliance cases, and especially not because of any political considerations,” said an EU spokesperson.

The ongoing cases “are not yet ready at the technical level”, the spokesman added, arguing that such investigations take time due to their complexity, innovation and the “need to ensure that the commission’s decisions are legal which is strong”.

Before Trump’s victory, EU regulators continued aggressive action against the world’s largest technology groups, passing a set of reforms aimed at opening up markets and creating a regulatory framework for Big Tech.

Under the Digital Markets Act, a law that seeks to prevent market abuse on large platforms, Brussels launched investigations in March of Apple, Google and Meta.

The commission is also under pressure to use the full powers of the Digital Services Act, a set of rules aimed at policing online content, to curb the growing influence of tech billionaire Elon Musk over the activity in Europe.

In addition to a similar investigation into Google owner Alphabet, the commission is looking into whether Apple favors its own app store, as well as Facebook owner Meta’s use of personal data for ads.

Brussels is also consulting Apple’s rivals on the tech giant’s proposals to make the iOS operating system compatible with connected devices.

Margrethe Vestager of Denmark and Thierry Breton of France, both of whom have campaigned against US tech companies, resigned from the commission in November.

“Priorities can shift,” said one. “The (digital rules) are from the previous commission.”

EU lawmakers are calling for regulators to remain firm. Stephanie Yon-Courtin, an MEP involved in the creation of technology rules, said that EU checks cannot be sacrificed to avoid a diplomatic fallout.

In a letter to Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the commission, Yon-Courtin said that the DMA “cannot be held hostage”.

He added: “Please assure me that your cabinet and yourself fully support the effective implementation of the DMA, without further delay.”