Britain's music fans will pay 10 percent less for downloads from Apple's iTunes stores within six months, the European Commission said Wednesday.
The European Union's top antitrust watchdog said the move would bring to a close its proceedings against Apple, which operates the online iTunes Store, used by owners of iPods, the popular MP3 player made by Apple.
"The Commission is very much in favor of solutions which allow consumers to benefit from a truly single market for music downloads," EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said in a statement.
Apple's iTunes customers can buy music in the EU only from the part of the store directed to their country of residence and that contains music cleared for sale in that country.
Residence is checked through credit card details. For example, a consumer in the United Kingdom must use a credit card from a bank with an address in Britain.
"Prices for iTunes downloads in the U.K. are currently nearly 10 percent more expensive than downloads in the Eurozone," the Commission said.
"Following iTunes' announcement, U.K. consumers will soon pay the same for music downloads from iTunes as customers from Eurozone countries."
Antitrust proceedings have also clarified that it is not agreements between Apple and the major record companies that determine how the iTunes Store is organized in Europe, the Commission said.
"Consequently, the Commission does not intend to take further action in this case," it said.
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