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German Cartel Office Launches  New Probe Into Amazon

By  |  October 29, 2020

Germany’s antitrust authority has launched an investigation into Amazon and Apple over possible anticompetitive behavior, German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily reported.

Amazon bans some third-party traders on its e-commerce platform from offering certain branded products, and Germany’s Federal Cartel Office is investigating whether this complies with German law.

“For some brands all merchants with the exception of Amazon itself and the respective brand manufacturer are excluded,” the paper quoted Cartel Office President Andreas Mundt as saying.

Amazon stated that it is cooperating with the German authorities, adding it continuously invests to protect its store from illegitimate goods.

Apple stated that it was following the law and was looking forward to sharing facts with the German competition authority.