Apple won't sell AppleCare in Italy, updates warranty terms on website

Apple and Italy's Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (Competition and Market Authority) have been at odds for a while over the AppleCare Protection Plan. The European Union requires sellers to provide a two-year mandatory warranty on products, and fined Apple US$1.2 million in March for not informing consumers of that fact. Now, according to a post on 9to5Mac, Apple has removed AppleCare Protection Plan products from shelves at Apple Stores and resellers in Italy.

Apple still makes the product available, but only through the online store. The terms for AppleCare were updated on the Italian website, now noting that "AppleCare plans benefits are added to the two-year warranty of the seller, required by Italian regulators to protect the consumers."

There's a good chance that Apple could be forced to make similar changes to the AppleCare Protection Plan in other EU countries where the warranty law is enforced.