MUMBAI: The European Commission (EC) has sent a Statement of Objections to Apple and the major music labels whose products are sold in Apple‘s online iTunes store in Europe.

The EC asserts that agreements between Apple and the music labels violate the EC Treaty‘s rules prohibiting restrictive business practices.

Th EC has accused them of restricting music sales in Europe.

The EC alleges that agreements between Apple and the record companies are guilty of breaking European Union rules that prohibit restrictive business practices.

The EC statement says, "The European Commission can confirm that it has sent a Statement of Objections to major record companies and Apple in relation to agreements between each record company and Apple that restrict music sales.

"Consumers can only buy music from the iTunes‘ online store in their country of residence. Consumers are thus restricted in their choice of where to buy music, and consequently what music is available, and at what price."

Apple spokesman Steve Dowling has been quoted in reports saying that the company wanted to operate a single store for all of Europe, but music labels and publishers said that there were limits to the rights they could grant to Apple.