Apple has announced that it will shortly harmonize music pricing across the different countries of Europe. Within six months, it will lower the prices it charges for music on its UK iTunes Store to match the already standardized pricing on iTunes across Europe in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain.
Apple, which pays some record labels higher amounts in the UK than in other countries will review continuing relationship in the UK with any record label that does not lower its wholesale prices in the UK within the next six months as well.
This decision is in response to the charge by the European Commission that Apple’s by country pricing contravenes European Union rules.