Record companies accused of restrictive practices

Apple, it said, operates different Itunes on line stores in the EU and in a Statement of Objection, the commissioners said the distribution agreements between Apple and the major record companies violate Article 81 of the EC Treaty.

There's no suggestion that Apple is in a dominant market position and it appears the EC doesn't give a flying rabbit for Apple's use of digital rights management software. Well, it doesn't need to care any more, anyroad.

But the Statement of Objection is a formal step in European antitrust investigations.