Apple and Amazon Under Investigation in Spain for Possible Anti-Competitive Practices

Apple and Amazon are facing antitrust disciplinary proceedings in Spain for possible restrictive competition practices around the sale of Apple products, it has emerged.

CNMC spain
In a press release, the country's National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) said it had initiated the proceedings against both companies for "possible anti-competition practices in the sectors of Internet sales of electronic products and the provision of marketing services to third-party retailers through online platforms."

The independent consumer interest body said it had access to "certain information" from which it had found "rational indications" that Amazon and Apple are in breach of laws related to the defense of competition and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Specifically:

The possible unlawful conduct would consist of an agreement between both groups that would include possible restrictions on the Amazon website in Spain regarding:

(i) The retail sale of APPLE products by third parties;
(ii) Certain advertising of competing Apple products and certain campaigns directed at Apple customers by Amazon;
(iii) Other commercial restrictions.

The CNMC announcement does not prejudge the final result of the investigation, which will occur over a maximum period of 18 months before a final resolution is made.

Popular Stories

Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
streaming black friday 2025

Black Friday Streaming Deals Include Big Savings on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV, and More

Monday November 24, 2025 8:03 am PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
apple store down feature

Here's Why the Apple Store is Going Down

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:01 pm PST by
Apple's online store is going down for a few hours on a rolling country-by-country basis right now, but do not get your hopes up for new products. Apple takes its online store down for a few hours ahead of Black Friday every year to tease/prepare for its annual gift card offer with the purchase of select products. The store already went down and came back online in Australia and New Zealand, ...
iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket is Now Completely Sold Out Worldwide

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:16 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released. iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
General Apps Messages Redux

Singapore Orders Changes to iMessage by December

Tuesday November 25, 2025 6:39 am PST by
Singapore has ordered Apple to block or filter messages on iMessage that impersonate government agencies, requiring the company to implement new anti-spoofing protections by December as part of efforts to curb rising online scams, the Straits Times reports. Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that it had issued an Implementation Directive to Apple under the Online Criminal Harms...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
streaming black friday 2025

Best Black Friday Streaming Deals - Save Big on Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, and More

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:14 pm PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red Green

The 30+ Best Black Friday Apple Deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and More

Thursday November 27, 2025 6:46 am PST by
Black Friday is just a few hours away, and as always this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a...

Top Rated Comments

Jglez Avatar
58 months ago
Lol, I am the first one to be critical of governments when they do something stupid, but seeing the comments here I feel like the following needs to be made clear, before other funny theories are posted:


* Spain is a western nation within the EU. The judicial system works independent from politics and is rule-based (not opinion based). Therefore a charge against Apple/Amazon can only be made if they broke one of the rules, if they didn’t then the judicial system cannot charge them, and even if they did it wouldn’t be held up in court. Therefore the theory that this is them looking for funds is ridiculous. Obviously if they broke a rule (in other words law) of course they should be charged and punished for such.
* As hurt as the economy might be in Spain due to the pandemic, they are the biggest receiver of EU funds (in the billions) for economic recovery. The costs therefore for the goverment are covered for the years to come, even if they have lost in taxes collected like every other country on earth during the pandemic.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bollman Avatar
58 months ago
Don't try to sway the Apple apologists with facts, it's no use ;)
Apple can do no harm, any investigation into Apple's business practices is only a money grab, nothing else. Please remember that :P
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jglez Avatar
58 months ago

Is "National Commission on Markets and Competition" part of their Judicial system or just a government commission?
CNMC is independent from the government, has judicial power and is under parliamentary control.

They explain the structure on their own website. Here is the page. ('https://www.cnmc.es/sobre-la-cnmc/que-es-la-cnmc')
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
project_2501 Avatar
58 months ago
All those people thinking this is about Spain wanting to find money are living in iCloud cuckoo land.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justperry Avatar
58 months ago

#ustoo. Apple should just keep increasing the price of iPhones in yuropoor. All these useless lawsuits hurt consumers, not help.

p.s. I am from Europe and currently live in Europe. Apple and Amazon are the least of these corrupt countries' concerns.
So, in essence, you like lawlessness.

Fines should be given any time a person or a company breaks the law.
If Amazon/Apple broke the law they should be fined.

I get sick of these people here claiming country X needs cash, mostly in the EU, mostly from Apple can do no harm US posters, and no, I am not sorry to say it this way, those posters are being just ridiculous is an understatement.


It's ok. It's just the Spanish government looking for any possible source of funds.

They are broke so they are searching everywhere.....
Did you forgot the sarcasm emoji or is this comment for real, if real, you can't possibly be serious.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jglez Avatar
58 months ago

Did you just say Spain has a reliable judicial system? It's corrupt to the core.

I say this as somebody who lives in Spain, runs two businesses and deals with the judicial system constantly.
That's your opinion.
Factually speaking the Spanish judicial system has been reviewed many thousands of times and it comes out in the rankings every year just as high as every other EU country.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)