• The Telegraph , Thursday, July 12, 2012 1:39 PM

The European Union is proposing changes to ease licensing rules that prevent internet music stores, including Apple’s iTunes, from selling digital music across the 27-nation bloc. The tactic raises concerns that economies of scale mean only major existing businesses such as Amazon’s MP3 store and iTunes would survive, potentially damaging consumers’ interests and threatening smaller businesses. The EU has sought to promote pan-European licensing for years, and the commission issued an antitrust decision in 2008 against national agencies that collect royalties on behalf of artists.

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