(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar)

Many consumer rights organizations in Germany, Norway, France and Finland have gathered to take common actions against Apples on its iTunes bundling services, but new concerns are expressed also by the EU Consumer Protection Commissioner, Meglena Kuneva.

In an interview for the German weekly Focus, Kuneva was very critical to this service: "Do you think it's fine that a CD plays in all CD players but that an iTunes song only plays in an iPod? I don't. Something has to change."

The statement was confirmed by Helen Kearns, a Commission spokeswoman who considered however that those were the commissioner's own opinions and not those of the Commission. "I don't think she was stating it as a definitive policy position. At this stage it is her gut instinct," said Kearns who added that Kuneva was leading a review of the eight basic laws governing cross-border consumer rights.

The respective review, which is in its early stage, has resulted so far in a preliminary document that will probably lead to revision proposals for current EU laws.

Apple faces opposition not only in Europe, but in the US as well where the company was sued for binding the music bought on its iTunes to its iPod which violates US anti-trust laws.

EU takes aim at Apple over iTunes (11.03.2007)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUKL1126917220070311

Criticism on Itunes (only in German, 11.03.2007)
http://www.focus.de/digital/multimedia/ipod/apple_aid_50327.html

Apple faces US iPod anti-trust suit (3.01.2007)
http://www.computing.co.uk/personal-computer-world/news/2171724/apple-...

EDRi-gram: iTunes under continuous attack in Europe (31.01.2007)
http://www.edri.org/edrigram/number5.2/itunes