Spain's anti-trust regulator, the CNMC, has imposed fines totaling $218mn on tech giants Amazon and Apple for colluding in the sale of products, thereby restricting competition.
The watchdog's investigation revealed that both companies had reached an agreement in October 2018 to limit the availability of Apple products through third-party resellers on Amazon's Spanish websites, resulting in a significant reduction in competition.
As per the CNMC's statement, more than 90% of resellers utilizing Amazon's platform in Spain to sell Apple products were excluded from the country's primary online market. Only selected resellers approved by Apple were permitted to offer the company's products on Amazon.es, effectively undermining competition in the marketplace.
The fines imposed by the CNMC amount to $56.6mn for Amazon and $161mn for Apple. Both companies have a two-month period to appeal the decision made by the Spanish regulator.
Responding to the allegations, an Amazon spokesperson issued a statement via email to Reuters, rejecting the CNMC's claim that Amazon benefited from excluding sellers from its marketplace. The spokesperson emphasized that Amazon's business model thrives on the success of companies selling through its platform.
This is not the first time that Amazon and Apple have faced substantial fines in Europe for unfair competitive practices. Last year, France imposed a $417mn fine on Apple for similar violations, while in December 2021, Italy fined Amazon $1.3bn for abusing its dominant market position.
The penalties imposed on Amazon and Apple by European regulators reflect the growing scrutiny of tech companies' practices and efforts to ensure fair competition in the digital marketplace.
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