HispanicBusiness

Apple and four major publishing companies are ready to settle an antitrust case with the European Union involving e-books, the bloc's executive said Wednesday, after three of the companies settled a similar case pending before U.S. authorities.

"The European Commission has received proposals of possible commitments from Apple and four international publishers: Simon & Schuster, Harper Collins, Hachette and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck," the Brussels-based body said in a statement.

E.U. Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said talks on a possible deal had been "fruitful," but warned that the commission had not yet decided whether to take up the offer of a settlement.

In the U.S., competition authorities have reached a deal with Simon & Schuster, Harper Collins and Hachette, but not with Apple and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck.