Maybe it's related to the warranty? Apple sells AppleCare separately, but it's basically a warranty that's already guaranteed under EU consumer law. So in the EU they should factor this into the price.
You're right, for most EU countries it's indeed 2 years.
> The Directive offers a 2-year legal guarantee of conformity, from the date that the item was delivered to the consumer. Most countries have implemented a 2-year guarantee of conformity but six countries apply a longer duration, with 4 of them taking into account the expected lifespan of the product.
It depends a bit though. Usually the first mandatory year is manufacturer warranty and the second and further years (where applicable) seller warranty only. So Apple is only on the hook for this if you bought from them and even then the burden of proof is on the consumer.
