The National audience has temporarily suspended the fine of 194.15 million euros National Market and Competition Commission (CNMC) imposed in July 2023 Apple and Amazon for agreeing and implementing certain restrictions on competition on the Amazon marketplace in Spain, which affected third-party sellers of Apple products and competing products of the apple company.
Now, The court partially upheld the appeal of both companiess against the CNMC decision. According to the newspaper La Información, which had access to the two court cases, Amazon and Apple had cited the reason for the temporary suspension of the implementation of the decision. economic impact on your accounts.
Specifically to companies Amazon Services Europe, Amazon Europe Core And Amazon EU They were required in total 50.5 million euroswhile Apple Distribution International demanded 128.64 million euros already Apple, 15 million euros. In both cases, the regional court requires the companies to suspend the fines as a precautionary measure provide a guarantee for the amounts stated.
Another inquiry focused on the Prohibition of concluding contracts with public administration. In this case the court In addition, the ban on Apple and Amazon from concluding contracts with public administrations has been temporarily suspended, a measure that was included in the resolution adopted by the CNMC. However, the Court reiterated the obligation of both Apple and Amazon to stop the conduct that led to the fine imposed by the Commission.
Losses for your companies
As for the economic impact, as the Europa Press news agency indicates in its resource, Amazon has claimed that full payment of the sanctions imposed requires an immediate obligation to “almost 25% of the liquid assets of the affected companies as of December 31, 2022«.
«The overall accounting situation of the sanctioned companies would emerge Losses amounting to 720,446,350 euros. As of December 31, 2022, ASE, AEC and AEU have debts to the State Treasury, Social Security and third parties totaling 3,295,988,782 euros«says the company founded by Jeff Bezos. In this regard, company sources have pointed this out Europe Press The “Amazon will continue to work to appeal the CNMC decision as the company disagrees with it«.
On your side, Manzana has argued that the fine imposed corresponds to the percentage of sales in the online retail market of Apple-branded electronic products in Spain. «Payment of the fine could jeopardize the appellants’ ability, incentives and/or ability to make investments in the allegedly affected market and in particular in the Amazon marketplace in Spain.“, repeat.
The second highest fine imposed by the CNMC
This is a fine for Apple and Amazon second highest imposed by the CNMC in its history. As the regulator reported last July, both companies agreed to include a number of clauses in the contracts governing Amazon’s terms as an Apple distributor, relating to the sale of Apple products and other brands on the Amazon website. website in Spain.
On the one hand, They “unjustifiably” restricted the number of resellers of Apple products on the Amazon website in Spain and on the other hand They limited the advertising space where competing Apple products can be advertised on the Amazon website in Spain.
Aside from that, They limited Amazon’s ability to target marketing campaigns to customers of Apple products on its website in Spain to offer competing products from other brands.