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Amazon, the biggest e-book distributor in Europe, proposed to
drop some clauses in its contracts so publishers will not be
forced to give it terms as good as those for rivals, the
Commission said.
Such clauses relate to business models, release dates, catalogs
of e-books, features of e-books, promotions, agency prices,
agency commissions and wholesale prices.
The Commission opened an investigation into the company's
e-books in English and German in June 2015, concerned that such
parity clauses make it harder for other e-book retailers to
compete with Amazon by developing new and innovative products
and services.
The EU competition enforcer gave rivals and customers a month to
provide feedback before it decides whether to accept the
proposal. Under EU antitrust rules, such settlements mean no
finding of infringement nor fines which could reach 10 percent
of a company's global turnover.
Amazon said it was pleased with the agreement but disagreed with
the Commission's preliminary assessment, saying that e-books are
not a separate market as they compete directly with print books
and other forms of media.
Amazon's offer, if accepted, would apply in Europe for five
years.
The Commission is also probing Amazon over its arrangement with
Luxembourg to minimize its tax bill, part of a crackdown on such
deals in the 28-country bloc.
(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Jason Neely and Tom
Heneghan)
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