Amazon reaches settlement in three EU antitrust cases, avoids fine, ET BrandEquity
Representative image (iStock)Amazon reached a settlement with the European Union on Tuesday in three antitrust investigations after the US online retailer addressed the EU’s concerns about its use of sellers’ data, sparing it from a fine of up to 10 percent of its global turnover has.
In the first case, Amazon faces charges of using its size, power and data to push its own products to gain an unfair advantage over rival merchants who also use its platform.
The company agreed not to use sellers’ data for its own rival retail business and its private label products.
The second case concerned the equal treatment of sellers when ranking their listings for the “buy box” on his website that generates the bulk of his sales.
Amazon has agreed to set up a second that is prominently displayed buy box for a competing product if it differs significantly in price and delivery from the product in the first box.
In the third case, Amazon agreed that sellers under Amazon’s Prime feature could choose their own logistics and delivery services other than those approved and selected by Amazon.
“The Commission has decided to accept commitments offered by Amazon. These commitments address our preliminary competition concerns about Amazon’s practices on its e-commerce marketplace,” EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager told a news conference.
Amazon said it was pleased to have addressed the European Commission’s concerns.
“While we continue to disagree with several of the preliminary conclusions, the European Commission, we have engaged constructively to ensure we can continue to serve customers across Europe,” an Amazon spokesperson said.
The Commission said Amazon’s final commitments will remain in effect for seven years in relation to Prime and the display of the second competing Buy Box offer, and five years for the remaining parts of the commitments.
“Under the supervision of the Commission, an independent trustee will be in charge of monitoring the implementation and compliance with the obligations,” it said.
The Commission said it could impose a fine of up to 10 percent of Amazon’s total annual turnover if the company were to breach the obligations.
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