EU kicking down doors on e-book publishing

[eurotrash]

EU competition law: Commission confirmed dawn raids in the e-book publishing sector
The Commission confirmed on 1 March 2011 that Commission officials initiated unannounced inspections at the premises of companies that are active in the e-book (electronic or digital books) publishing sector in several Member States. The Commission had reason to believe that the companies concerned may have violated EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and other restrictive business practices (Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)). The Commission officials were accompanied by their counterparts from the relevant national competition authorities. The Commission did not say which Member States were involved in the inspections.

http://ecomms.algoodbody.com/ve/ZZ82B81v7168t90C95j6/VT=0/page=12

Wonder what the full story is?

[thesaintv12]

Very interesting.  They don't give much info though do they?  'Dawn raids' seem a bit heavy handed for e-book people, what were those books about??

[eurotrash]

'Dawn raids' seem a bit heavy handed for e-book people, what were those books about??

They will have sent a 6-screen-long email and when the addressee got to the bottom it would have had a big button saying "Go to the door - we want in"

I have emailed my MEP for more details but he is a wanker and his assistant a wankette so I don't hold out much hope of anything useful.

[thesaintv12]

'Dawn raids' seem a bit heavy handed for e-book people, what were those books about??

They will have sent a 6-screen-long email and when the addressee got to the bottom it would have had a big button saying "Go to the door - we want in"

I have emailed my MEP for more details but he is a wanker and his assistant a wankette so I don't hold out much hope of anything useful.

I shouldn't have read that while drinking tea, I am covered in it now 

[littleman]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/03/eu-antitrust-regulators-raid_n_830949.html

The article from the Huffington Post,

EU antitrust regulators, working closely with Britain's OFT (Office of Fair Trading), inspected eBook publishers in several countries on Tuesday. The companies were under suspicion of forming a cartel, or price-fixing.

According to the Associated Press, the European Commission said Wednesday it had "reason to believe that the companies concerned may have violated EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and other restrictive business practices."

[jimbanks]

Price fixing....

Everyone else sells their e-book for $9.99

You sell yours for $9.99 too

Or am I missing something?

[eurotrash]

forgot to come back in here and let you know what I got from my MEP.  Ongoing investigation bla bla bla... - I'm a useles MEP but it gets me more money/expenses/travel than being a lawyer bla bla bla - my assistant is still a wankette bla bla bla - it can take years bla bla bla....  thanks for your email it gave my work-for-nothing-but-expenses intern something to do today instead of reading porn in the toilet bla bla bla.... vote for me cos i'm here for your bla bla bla.... will send you an email again at election time bla bla bla.