EMI's Rejection of DRM May Help Apple Overcome Its European Woes

On the first, issue, the Norwegian Consumer Council welcomed Apple’s announcement. Taking a page from Jobs’ open letter playbook, an advisor to the group said Apple still faces legal responsibilities but is setting a precedent that the other major labels—especially the European ones—should follow.

"No matter how the digital music market develops, today will always stand out [as] the day when two of the really big market players made an interoperable solution available to consumers," wrote Torgeir Waterhouse, senior advisor to the Norwegian Consumer Council, in an email. "I applaud their move, and encourage all the other contenders in the digital music business to make the same important move."

Apple’s response to the last two issues is to point the finger back to the record labels, just as Jobs did in his recent open letter.

Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said the company had originally planned to operate a single store for all of Europe, but music labels and publishers said there were limits to the rights that they could grant to Apple.

"We don't believe Apple did anything to violate EU law," he said. "We will continue to work with the EU to resolve this matter."

A spokesperson for EU competition commissioner Neelie Kroes said Apple’s current arrangement limits consumers’ choices, but also stressed that its allegations had nothing to do with the lack of interoperability between the iTunes format and rival players.

"They are limited in their choice of where to buy music and, consequently, what music is available and at what price", the spokesperson said. "The Commission alleges that these agreements violate the rules prohibiting restrictive business practices."