Also, i realize the article is not legally informed but the opening question seems like a slam dunk against AMZN
>to investigate whether the company is using sales data to gain an unfair advantage over smaller sellers on the Marketplace platform
I suppose the question is not whether they have an advantage, but whether its unfair or not.
The article mentions that Amazon just made some changes because of a similar accusation from Germany, so there is no huge fine first and then you fix your stuff, from what I seen so far the big scare that EU is trying to milk US companies with huge fines for small issues without warring is just FUD.
So, EU fighting back doesn't suprise me !
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alstom#Acquisition_by_General_...
A good source but in french: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dejeVuL9-7c
Most importantly--the details of the article cited in relation to the GE deal (i.e., the claims that the CEO pushed through the GE deal due to US pressure) ignore the fact that the French government was the one that ultimately blocked the competing EU bids, even though the company itself favored the Siemens bid.
GM now admits they severely overpaid for the French company and in hindsight should have let Siemens buy it because the French assets they acquired were a serious drag on the performance of the post-acquisition GM Power subsidiary.
The FCPA just bans bribes and other crimes that are also illegal in the US. Most foreign companies do not get hit with FCPA violations. Just the ones that use bribes as a part of doing business.
Alstrom's not a great example, since they were also charged by the UK over their corrupt business practices.
The FPCA violations weren't levied on Alstrom to push through a US acquisition; the FCPA investigation began years before. And ultimately, GE only acquired a part of Alstrom, after competing bids from EU companies were blocked by the French government.
You know, if those US companies would pay the tax they should, similarly to the small companies, these may not be necessary.
Unless Google wants to become a charitable non-profit, the idea that they pay their taxes just by doing regular business is preposterous.
Legally US companies are doing exactly what they should even if it involves bullshit loopholes like Double Dutch Irish or large licensing fees. If they weren't then there would many within facing charges of tax evasion. The actual solution would involve closing loopholes with things like excluding license fees and business from profit reductions for tax purposes.
That's a MASSIVE subsidy the US keeps giving to its companies. Trillions of dollars not being taxed.
So everyone's playing silly games, the US haven't got clean hands in this at all, effectively allowing their companies to run 0% corp tax on foreign trading.