cdmagurus.com
12-06-2013, 10:50 AM
Samsung, Philips and electronics retailer Media-Saturn were among the companies raided by European officials this week as part of an investigation into possible anticompetitive agreements about online sales of electronics.
The companies disclosed on Friday that they were targets of the raid. The European Commission has confirmed that the raids took place on Tuesday, when officials initiated unannounced inspections in several European Union countries. The Commission did not disclose the names of the companies under investigation.
”The Commission has grounds to suspect that the companies subject to the inspections may have put in place restrictions on online sales of consumer electronic products and small domestic appliances,” the Commission said in a news release. The companies concerned may have violated E.U. antitrust rules that prohibit anticompetitive agreements, it added.
If these restrictions are indeed in force, they may lead to higher consumer prices or the unavailability of products through certain online sales channels, the Commission said. A Commission competition official declined to say Friday what those restrictions are.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here (http://cdmagurus.com/article/2070180/samsung-philips-among-companies-raided-by-eu-antitrust-investigators.html#jump)
More... (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2070180/samsung-philips-among-companies-raided-by-eu-antitrust-investigators.html#tk.rss_all)
The companies disclosed on Friday that they were targets of the raid. The European Commission has confirmed that the raids took place on Tuesday, when officials initiated unannounced inspections in several European Union countries. The Commission did not disclose the names of the companies under investigation.
”The Commission has grounds to suspect that the companies subject to the inspections may have put in place restrictions on online sales of consumer electronic products and small domestic appliances,” the Commission said in a news release. The companies concerned may have violated E.U. antitrust rules that prohibit anticompetitive agreements, it added.
If these restrictions are indeed in force, they may lead to higher consumer prices or the unavailability of products through certain online sales channels, the Commission said. A Commission competition official declined to say Friday what those restrictions are.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here (http://cdmagurus.com/article/2070180/samsung-philips-among-companies-raided-by-eu-antitrust-investigators.html#jump)
More... (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2070180/samsung-philips-among-companies-raided-by-eu-antitrust-investigators.html#tk.rss_all)