Europe Probing Apple And Publishers For E-book Price 'Cartel'

After carrying out unannounced inspections at the companies back in March, the European Commission is now starting a formal antitrust investigation in to whether Apple ( NSDQ: AAPL ) and book publishers are limiting e-book competition with their “agency” pricing model. The EC will investigate whether Hachette Livre, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster ( NYSE: CBS ), Penguin and Macmillan Germany owner Holzbrinck “have, possibly with the help of Apple, engaged in anti-competitive practices affecting the sale of e-books in the European Economic Area (EEA)1, in breach of EU antitrust rules” ( announcement ). “The