Investigation opened · Official / primary · Core: antitrust / funding
Spain's CNMC opens sanctioning proceedings against Apple and Amazon for breaching 2023 cease-and-desist order
On 3 November 2026 the CNMC announced it has opened sanctioning proceedings against Apple and Amazon for failing to comply with the cease-and-desist order in its July 2023 decision (VS/0013/21) until May 2025.
- Jurisdiction
- Spain (ES)
- Announced
- (announcement date · day precision)
- Source published
- (publication date · day precision)
- Procedural posture
- Investigation (allegation) (last checked 4 November 2026)
- Source role
- Official / primary
- Amounts
- EUR 194,000,000 (administrative fine) — Apple and Amazon jointly, imposed by CNMC in July 2023 resolution VS/0013/21
- Case record
- Spain's CNMC opens sanctioning proceedings against Apple and Amazon for breaching 2023 cease-and-desist order
- First published
- · version 1 · updated
What happened
The CNMC announced on 3 November 2026 that it has opened a sanctioning expediente (SNC/DC/095/26 – Apple; SNC/DC/096/26 – Amazon) against Apple and Amazon for breach of the cease-and-desist order imposed in its July 2023 sanctioning resolution (VS/0013/21). The CNMC states that in July 2023 it fined the two companies €194 million for anticompetitive clauses governing Amazon's conditions as an Apple distributor, and that the 2023 resolution required them to cease the sanctioned conduct. According to the announcement, the companies did not remove the restrictive clauses until May 2025. The CNMC reports that on 1 October 2025 its Council declared that Apple and Amazon had breached the July 2023 resolution, and instructed the Directorate for Competition to open sanctioning proceedings for indicia of infringement; the proceedings were opened after the courts refused the interim suspension sought by both companies.
Why it matters
The action is a Spanish competition-authority enforcement step against two of the largest global platforms over alleged non-compliance with an earlier antitrust order, rather than over the original conduct itself. It illustrates a regulator's follow-on enforcement mechanism where a breach of a cease-and-desist obligation can trigger fresh proceedings.
What remains unresolved
The CNMC states that opening the expediente does not prejudge the final outcome, and that a maximum period of three months has begun for instruction and resolution. The CNMC also states that both the 2023 sanctioning resolution and the 2025 non-compliance decision have been appealed to the Audiencia Nacional and are pending judgment.
Sources
- La CNMC inicia un expediente sancionador contra Apple y Amazon | CNMC
Spain · Official / primary · AuthorityPressRelease · published 3 November 2026 · es · checked 4 November 2026Cited at: La CNMC ha iniciado un expediente sancionador contra Apple y Amazon por haber incumplido la orden de cesación que les impuso en la resolución sancionadora de 2023 (VS/0013/21).; En julio de 2023, la CNMC multó a Apple y Amazon con 194 millones por incluir cláusulas anticompetitivas en los contratos que regulaban las condiciones de Amazon como distribuidor de Apple.; Sin embargo, no fue hasta mayo de 2025 cuando eliminaron las cláusulas que restringían el número de revendedores de productos Apple en Amazon y que limitaban los espacios publicitarios de Amazon para los competidores de Apple.; El 1 octubre de 2025, el Consejo de la CNMC declaró que Amazon y Apple incumplieron la resolución de julio de 2023 ... El Consejo instó a la Dirección de Competencia la incoación de un expediente sancionador; El expediente se inicia tras haber sido denegada por los tribunales la suspensión cautelar solicitada por ambas empresas.; Tanto la resolución sancionadora de 2023 como la de incumplimiento de 2025 han sido recurridas ante la Audiencia Nacional y se encuentran pendientes de sentencia.; La incoación de este expediente no prejuzga el resultado final de la investigación. Se abre ahora un periodo máximo de 3 meses para la instrucción del expediente y para su resolución por la CNMC.
Translation note: Machine-assisted translation from Spanish; operative terms quoted in the original where material.
Editorial score 0.740 — how it was computed
| Dimension | 0–5 | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| significance | 4 | New enforcement proceedings against Apple and Amazon by a national competition authority over breach of a cease-and-desist order tied to a €194m fine; household-name parties, cross-border relevance. |
| novelty | 4 | New sanctioning proceedings (SNC/DC/095/26, SNC/DC/096/26) not previously covered; prior fine and non-compliance declaration are context. |
| practical | 3 | Gives practitioners the CNMC's non-compliance enforcement track and the pending Audiencia Nacional appeals; no damages or eligibility information. |
| coverage_gap | 2 | Spain is a monitored jurisdiction; item adds specific CNMC non-compliance enforcement detail rather than filling an uncovered jurisdiction gap. |
| timeliness | 5 | Announced 3 November 2026, one day before the 4 November 2026 as-of date. |
score = Σ weight × dimension/5; weights 35/25/20/10/10. See methodology. Not a fundability or investment score.
Story ID STORY-2026-000007 · Release REL-20261104-053043087 · JSON · Report a correction