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ONLINE RETAIL GIANT Amazon has become the latest tech giant to attract the attentions of the EU’s Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager.
An official European Commission (EC) antitrust investigation into Amazon’s e-book business has been instigated.
This revolves around certain clauses installed in the US retailer’s contracts that require book publishers to inform Amazon about deals they may have with its rivals, thus hampering those rivals’ ability to compete.
“Amazon has developed a successful business that offers consumers a comprehensive service, including for e-books – our investigation does not call that into question,” Vestager said today in a statement.
However, it is my duty to make sure that Amazon’s arrangements with publishers are not harmful to consumers, by preventing other e-book distributors from innovating and competing effectively with Amazon.
Our investigation will show if such concerns are justified.
Amazon is currently the largest distributor of e-books in Europe via its Kindle service.
This is not the first time that the EC has investigated the e-books sector. In December 2011 the Commission opened proceedings against Apple and five major publishing houses for allegedly colluding to limit price competition for e-books.
This led to commitments from the various companies which addressed those concerns.
Vestager herself is gaining a reputation as the scourge of enormous companies.
In the last two months alone, she has announced war on geo-blocking (the practice of making online content exclusive within countries via IP address), accused Google of abusing its status in corporate competition, and threatened fines of €10 billion for Russian energy behemoth Gazprom for similarly abusing anti-trust laws.
A lady who likes a challenge obviously.
She has been accused of specifically targeting American businesses although she denied this in an interview with the BBC earlier this month.
The news is another headache for Amazon however, which has endured a tough couple of months.
In May the company officially set up a UK office (despite already employing 6,000 employees there) so as to process sales (and therefore taxes) through that jurisdiction rather than Luxembourg as was previously the case.
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I wish the Journal and other media outlets would stop this over reporting of the weather. Everyday its the same crap, warm for a few days. Cold and wet for a few days. Thats Irish weather in a nutshell..
@Cosmo Kramer: To some of us busy people – the weather is critical to doing our jobs. Daily updates are critical.
@Cosmo Kramer: And maybe, the media should stop reporting the news too as it’s always the same – car accidents, strikes, drugs, crime?
@Fank Pulman: Frank the weather is either cold and wet, warm and dry, cold and sunny or wet and warm. Thats it with the exception of the odd windy day. Look out the window every now and again and your set..
@Cosmo Kramer: An extraordinarily naive post! Cursory window observations will not tell you when the weather will change – or what it’s like (or going to be like) in different locations.
@Fank Pulman: your not that busy dude
@Donnchadh Cassin: But, unlike you, I can spell…
@Cosmo Kramer: red thumb
I agree. The weather in this country is not news, and should not feature on ‘news’ apps. There are several good weather apps out there for those who are interested.
@Anthony Byrne: No – it’s not news. Just very important information, for many…
@Fank Pulman: maybe we should cancel all traffic reports as well – because we know the roads are always crowded!?
Yep. And the sky is blue. This is also information. Important information to some.
@Fank Pulman: Oh sorry didnt realise this was an english test…ya spanner. also a great sign that somebody has lost any argument when you resort to being a grammar cop.
You couldn’t even go one day. Do you have hard on’s for giving us bad news journal?
See the gimps going crazy at even a hint of sunshine. It’s still very cold outside.
@Censored: lovely n warm in my yard
@Censored: 17 degrees is hot for March in Ireland lad
Fab here. Don’t be so moany.
Those Sheriff Street lads jumping into the Liffey near the convention centre.
Do you all realise that you paid for their swimsuits?
Come on journal let us enjoy the few days we have. We know its not going to last forever its March ffs.
If we didn’t talk about the weather, we would have f*u*c*k all to talk about!
My umbrella is up and down more times than a wh*res knickers!
have your say