European Union regulators have launched a probe into e-commerce practices in the wake of reports that major companies are restricting online sales, which hinders the growth of the digital market in Europe, said Margrethe Vestager, the commissioner in charge of competition policy.
According to the European Commission, during 2014 almost half of all EU consumers shopped online. While this is good news for the online market, it raises the possibility of cross-border restrictive business practices. The Commission reports that only 15 percent of EU consumers bought products from a seller based in another EU Member State—suggesting that restrictions such as language barriers, consumer preferences, different legislations and anti-competitive practices exist.
