Amazon Proposal to End Antitrust Probe by EU Should Be Rejected, NGOs Argue: Report

A group of 11 non-governmental groups have reportedly told the European Union (EU) regulators that the e-commerce giant Amazon’s proposal to halt certain selling and marketing practices should be rejected. They argue that the proposal is in a bid to avert possible heavy EU antitrust fines and it is full of loopholes. The Commission had given third parties until September 9 to provide feedback to Amazon’s offer. Amazon had told that it will treat all the sellers equally when ranking their offers.

According to recent report by Reuters, a group of 11 non-governmental organisations including LobbyControl, the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour, the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), and the European Public Services Union have told EU regulators that Amazon’s proposal to halt certain selling and marketing practices should be rejected.

The groups argue that the proposal is in an attempt to avoid possible heavy antitrust fines from EU. The non-governmental groups also added that the proposal is full of loopholes.

“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..

To recall, the Commission gave third parties until September 9 to provide feedback to Amazon’s offer.