Not necessarily optimistic, just trying to promote a little balance in the face of some of the online hysteria and overblown clickbait headlines such as
EU Age Verification App to Ban Android Apps Not Licensed by Google [1]
end indeed the title of this thread
The EU age verification is forcing Google Play Integrity check
(my emphasis)
I also recall seeing a link to a github comment that the words suggesting that only Google’s Integrity Check would be allowed, had been removed from the README of the (Open Source) ‘white label’ app currently being worked on. I don’t recal where I saw that, and I really can’t be bothered to chase that down, ut just trying to make the point that there are other views about this (still developing) issue. And I’m not going to get involved in arguments with people who described the EU as a ‘police state’: like I said FUD and paranoia (IMHO).
EDIT:
Have a look at some of the comments and documents