Amazon may have to tweak proposals for ending business practices probes, EU’s Vestager says

BRUSSELS, Sept 16 (Reuters) – Amazon (AMZN.O) could must tweak its proposals to finish two investigations into its enterprise practices, EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager mentioned on Friday following suggestions from third events on the problem.

In July the U.S. on-line retailer mentioned it might arrange an information silo, stopping its retail arm from utilizing knowledge from its market to make competing personal label merchandise. learn extra

It can additionally finish preferential therapy for itself and deal with sellers equally when rating their affords for the “purchase field” on its web site that generates the majority of its gross sales.

Vestager had given third events till Sept. 9 to offer suggestions earlier than deciding whether or not to simply accept the proposals.

A gaggle of 11 non-governmental our bodies and pan-European shoppers’ organisation BEUC have criticised Amazon’s supply, urging the European Fee to demand changes to it. learn extra

“We at the moment are within the technique of assessing that suggestions, a few of which pointed to potential enhancements on a number of factors,” Vestager instructed a convention in New York.

Vestager additionally addressed the European Fee’s investigation of Alphabet (GOOGL.O) Google’s digital promoting enterprise, saying she was cooperating together with her U.S. counterpart on the problem.

“We’re additionally in shut contact with the DOJ (Division of Justice) within the context of our investigation of Google advert tech,” she mentioned.

The investigation is at a preliminary stage.

Vestager, who earlier this yr pushed by means of landmark EU guidelines to rein in Massive Tech, urged U.S. lawmakers to move a measure referred to as the American Innovation and Selection On-line Act which bars tech giants from giving desire to their very own companies on their web sites.

“It’s for Congress to determine, in fact, however within the absence of this type of legislative push, there’s a danger of regulatory fragmentation – pointing as soon as once more to the ever extra vital function of cooperation throughout our jurisdictions, akin to our cooperation with the DOJ on Google,” Vestager mentioned.

Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Modifying by Susan Fenton

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