NGOs Say EU Amazon Antitrust Probe Has Many Issues

Amazon’s proposal to halt certain online selling and marketing practices in a bid to avert possible hefty EU antitrust fines should be rejected because it is weak and full of loopholes, a group of 11 non-governmental bodies have told EU regulators.

The criticism from the group, which includes LobbyControl, the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour and the European Public Services Union, echoed those from pan-European consumer group BEUC last week.

“They are weak, vague and full of loopholes, leaving too much room for evasion and abuse by Amazon. Moreover, the proposed limitation of these commitments to five years, or indeed any time horizon at all, is unjustifiable,” the group said in a statement.

The NGO group urged the European Commission to force Amazon to split its marketplace from its retail and logistics operations in order to address concerns about its dominance and control over interrelated services.

It said the offer also falls short of tougher requirements imposed on digital gatekeepers under landmark tech rules that will go into effect next year.

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