This illustration picture taken on July 24, 2019 in Paris shows the logo of the US online store application Amazon on the screen of a tablet.
MARTIN BUREAU | AFP | Getty Images
LONDON — The European Commission has concluded that Amazon breached European rules by using independent sellers’ data for its own benefit.
It also announced Tuesday a second investigation into the company’s e-commerce processes.
The decision comes after the Commission, which is the executive arm of the European Union, launched a probe into the online retailer in July 2019 on the back of concerns over anti-competitive behavior.
“Data on the activity of third-party sellers should not be used to the benefit of Amazon when it acts as a competitor to these sellers,” Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s competition chief, said in a statement.
Amazon declined to comment when contacted by CNBC on Tuesday.
Amazon will have now the chance to examine the Commission’s conclusions and reply in writing or via a oral hearing.
This is a breaking news story and it is being updated.
