European Commission to crack down on big tech trading practices

The EU is set to introduce strict new guidelines which will deal with complaints about unfair trading practices from big tech firms such as Apple and Google.

Major tech firms have been found to have restricted access to certain data and delisted products and services, with the Commission pledging to bring more transparency to such platforms in the near future.

The Commission released its mid-term review of key proposals and challenges ahead relating to what it refers to as the "Digital Single Market.".

"The Commission has lived up to its promise and presented all main initiatives for building a Digital Single Market. Now, the European Parliament and Member States need to adopt these proposals as soon as possible, for new jobs, business and innovation to take off across Europe,” said Andrus Ansip, vice-president of the Digital Single Market.

The review included a suggestion to "address unfair contractual clauses and trading practices identified in platform-to-business relationships and has also taken recent competition enforcement decisions related to this."

Smaller European tech firms had complained last year that larger US companies were stifling their ability to compete in digital sectors.

Swedish music streaming service Spotify has accused Apple of unfairly rejecting its updated application on iPhones and other Apple software.