Amazon, Broadcom face new antitrust probes in Europe
European regulators delivered two helpings of bad news for US tech firms Wednesday (October 16).
In the UK competition watchdogs have begun a probe into Amazon's investment in Deliveroo.
Back in May, the online giant led a 575 million dollar fundraising round for the food delivery firm.
Now the Competition and Markets Authority says it's looking into whether that will crimp competition.
The deal was supposed to give Amazon a step up in its battle against Uber Eats.
Deliveroo is one of Europe's fastest growing tech firms.
It employs 60,000 riders in 13 countries to deliver takeaway food.
Meanwhile chipmaker Broadcom - a major supplier to Apple - is in trouble with Brussels.
Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager not pulling any punches Wednesday:
(SOUNDBITE) (English) EU ANTITRUST COMMISSIONER, MARGRETHE VESTAGER, SAYING:
"We consider that Broadcom is restricting competition by engaging in exclusive and quasi-exclusive dealing with key customers. Broadcom's behaviour would cause serious and irreparable harm to competition."
As a result, she's ordered Broadcom to halt exclusive deals with six TV and modem makers for three years.
She wants to investigate whether those agreements are intended to thwart rivals.
Amazon and other tech giants may know how Broadcom feels.
Vestager is infamous in Silicon Valley, after hitting U.S. tech giants with a series of multibillion dollar fines.
