Brussels: The EU`s anti-trust regulator opened a formal investigation on Thursday into Amazon`s e-book distribution, in the latest Brussels inquiry to target the US-based Internet retailer.
"It is my duty to make sure that Amazon`s arrangements with publishers are not harmful to consumers by preventing other e-book distributors from innovating and competing effectively with Amazon," Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.
"Our investigation will show if such concerns are justified," she added.
The European Commission, the EU executive`s arm, is probing clauses Amazon has with its publishers which may shield the company from competitors, including the right to be informed of more favourable terms.
Brussels is already conducting a separate investigation into Amazon`s tax arrangements over its tax deals in Luxembourg, one of a series of such probes targeting major global firms.
