BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT: A decision by Amazon and Apple to scrap all exclusivity obligations in the supply and distribution of audiobooks will likely boost competition, EU antitrust regulators said on Thursday. The companies announced their decision on Jan 5 after talks with the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office. Such curbs had prompted a complaint from the German Publishers and Booksellers Association to both regulators, triggering an investigation by the German enforcer in Nov 2015. The German cartel office said on Thursday it had closed its investigation into Apple and Amazon. The probe started at the end of 2015, sparked by a complaint from the German publishers and booksellers lobby, who said Amazon and Apple were abusing their dominant market position.

Source: The Star January 20, 2017 03:27 UTC