EU’s Vestager Says Amazon May Have To Edit Its Proposals

According to statements from EU Antitrust Chief Vestager, Amazon may have to change its proposals to end two investigations into its business practices. This is following feedback from the agency.

During the summer Amazon said it would set up a data silo, preventing its retail arm from using data from its marketplace to make competing private label products.

It will also end preferential treatment for itself and treat sellers equally when ranking their offers for the “buy box” on its website that generates the bulk of its sales.

Vestager had given third parties until Sept. 9 to provide feedback before deciding whether to accept the proposals.

A group of 11 non-governmental bodies and pan-European consumers’ organisation BEUC have criticised Amazon’s offer, urging the European Commission to demand adjustments to it.

“We are now in the process of assessing that feedback, some of which pointed to potential improvements on several points,” Vestager told a conference in New York.

Vestager also addressed the European Commission’s investigation of Alphabet Google’s digital advertising business, saying she was cooperating with her U.S. counterpart on the issue.

“We are also in close contact with the DOJ (Department of Justice) in the context of our investigation of Google ad tech,” she said.

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