MILAN (Reuters) -Italy’s antitrust authority has fined U.S. tech giants Amazon.com and Apple Inc a complete of greater than 200 million euros ($225 million) for alleged anti-competitive cooperation within the sale of Apple and Beats merchandise.
Contractual provisions of a 2018 settlement between the businesses meant solely chosen resellers had been allowed to promote Apple and Beats merchandise on Amazon.it, the competitors watchdog mentioned, including that this was in violation of European Union guidelines.
The authority imposed a advantageous of 68.7 million euros on Amazon and 134.5 million euros on Apple, ordering the businesses to finish the restrictions to provide retailers of real Apple and Beats merchandise entry to Amazon.it in a non-discriminatory method.
Apple denied any wrongdoing and mentioned it plans to enchantment towards the advantageous.
“To make sure our prospects buy real merchandise, we work intently with our reseller companions and have devoted groups of specialists world wide who work with regulation enforcement, customs and retailers to make sure solely real Apple merchandise are being offered,” it mentioned.
An Amazon consultant couldn’t be reached for quick remark.
($1 = 0.8885 euros)
(Reporting by Gianluca Semeraro and Elvira PollinaEditing by David Goodman)
