Amazon Referred to European Commission

Graham Watson, MEP for West Dorset, has submitted a Parliamentary Question to the European Commission on Amazon's Price Parity policy:

“Online retailer Amazon has become a major retailer of books across the UK and wider EU. Its online market place has provided a valuable virtual shop window that has benefited many small specialist book retailers across the EU.

However is the Commission aware that Amazon is now demanding price parity from undertakings wishing to use this market place service, which will prevent undertakings from selling their products at a lower price than the price of the product on Amazon’s online market place? Does the Commission consider this could be damaging to small local book retailers that utilise Amazon? Does the Commission consider this decision to be inline with EU competition rules?”