Amazon reaches an agreement in 3 antitrust cases in the EU and avoids a million-dollar fine

Amazon reached an agreement with the European Union on Tuesday in three antitrust investigations after the online retailer responded to the bloc’s concerns about its use of vendor data, which prevented a fine of up to 10% of its worldwide turnover.

In the first case, Amazon faced accusations of using its size, power and data to push its own products and gain an unfair advantage over competitors that also use its platform.

The company has agreed not to use the vendor data for its own competing retail business and private label products.

The second case concerned the equal treatment of sellers when classifying their offers for the “buy box” on their website, which generates most of their sales.

Amazon has agreed to create a second shopping box in a prominent location for a competing product if it differs materially in price and delivery from the product in the first box.

In the third case, Amazon agreed that sellers in the Amazon Prime feature can choose their own fulfillment and delivery services, other than those approved and chosen by the company.

“The Commission has decided to accept the undertakings offered by Amazon, which respond to our preliminary competition concerns about Amazon’s practices in its marketplace. electronic commerce“, said Margrethe Vestager, Commissioner for Competition of the European Union, at a press conference.

Amazon was pleased to have responded to the concerns of the European Comission.

“While we continue to disagree with several of the preliminary findings, we have engaged constructively to ensure we can continue to serve customers across Europe,” an Amazon spokesperson said.

The Commission said that Amazon’s final commitments will remain in force for seven years in relation to Prime and the display of the second competing offer Buy Boxand five years for the remaining parts of the commitments

The Commission said it could impose a fine of up to 10% of Amazon’s total annual turnover if the company breached commitments.