Italy fines Apple competition authorities have fined Amazon and Apple more than 200 million euros (168 million pounds sterling) for alleged violations of competition rules. The fine applies to Beats headphones, a brand Apple bought for $3 billion in 2014 (then £1.8 billion).
A 2018 agreement between the tech giants means that only certain retailers can sell products on the Amazon Italia website. Both Apple and Amazon have announced that they will appeal the fine. Italy’s competition authority said the two companies’ actions violated European Union rules and affected price competition.
He ordered the two companies to lift restrictions and grant access to merchants in a “non-discriminatory manner.” Apple respects the observer’s decision, “but we believe that we did nothing wrong.”
Working with specific retailers helps keep customers safe by ensuring that their products are genuine, Apple said.
“Non-genuine products offer a poorer experience and can often be dangerous,” a spokesperson said. “To ensure that our customers buy genuine products, we work closely with our distributors. And have a worldwide team of specialist experts who work with law enforcement. Customs, and retailers to ensure that only genuine products are sold.
Italy fines Apple stated that it disagreed with the Italian authorities’ decision. And that its share of the proposed fine (€68.7 million) was “disproportionate and unjustified.” A company spokesperson said. “We reject the assumption that Amazon wins by excluding sellers from our stores because our business model is based on their success.
The agreement “doubles” the product catalog available to Italian customers, resulting in “better offers and faster delivery.”