Amazon seeks an antitrust settlement with EU Commission by complying with Digital Markets Act

Amazon is negotiating an antitrust settlement with the EU Commission, led by Margrethe Vetager, following a probe into alleged anti-competitive practices. The investigation focuses on Amazon’s use of non-public data to favor its products over third-party sellers and its selection process for featured retailers. Amazon aims to comply with the Digital Markets Act by sharing data with other sellers, potentially resolving the case and avoiding a prolonged legal battle. The settlement is pending finalization, with the investigation ongoing.

Amazon is coming to a settlement with European Commission’s Vice-President Margrethe Vetager regarding a three-year antitrust probe into the company’s behaviour. Vetager’s investigation alleges that Amazon has been using non-public data that are inaccessible to their business users while competing with the latter. Such practices give Amazon’s own products advantages over third-party sellers. Another allegation concerns how Amazon chooses which retailers to be featured in a Buy Box highlight that boosts their sales. Amazon aims for an antitrust settlement whereby it pledges to change its business behaviours in exchange for the Commission to drop the case. Amazon could comply forwardly with the recently agreed Digital Markets Act (DMA) by sharing data with other sellers on the platform, avoiding claims that they use non-public data to compete unfairly. In return, the Commission would avoid a lengthy legal battle in court. The settlement has yet to be finalised, and the case is still open at the time of writing.

Source: POLITICO