European Commission Decision 2020/2/EU

Basis of the Case
In early 2019 after a series of complaints from consumer and producer groups the European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager launched a probe into the practice of Amazon of using data collected in its role as a seller of third party products in the development and marketing of its own products.

The probe which concluded in 2020 led to the European Commission to fine Amazon a total of €11.64bn (the largest ever fine by the Commission) or 5% of global annual revenue. It also ordered Amazon to undertake a digital platform divorce by which it must either cease its role as a seller of third party products or cease selling its own products.

This ruling has set the basis for all other digital platforms in that they must now comply with it or face fines of up to 10% of annual global revenue and risk the breakup of their platform.