Amazon Agrees to Settle EU Antitrust Cases, Avoiding Fines

Amazon has a clearer path to expansion in Europe, and so do its third-party merchants. The Wall Street Journal reports that the e-commerce giant agreed to settle two European Union antitrust cases related to allegations about its treatment of third-party sellers on its platform.

Amazon won’t pay a fine as part of the settlement, but it is committing to give third-party sellers that use Amazon’s marketplace the potential for better standing on the site and its consumer tools.

The company will also abstain from using non-public data about sellers on its marketplace to compete against them. Regulators say the commitment would apply to Amazon’s automated tools and to its employees, and would effectively bar the company from using sellers’ data to make retail decisions. 

The agreement clears a cloud hanging over Amazon’s online business in Europe. The company says it disagrees with several of the EU’s allegations about its practices.