[Riemannian @ Oct 1st 2007 4:59PM]

If you Euros want to know the real reason electronics and other gadgets are usually 20% higher over there, look no further. I mean, it's Engadget, we all love to see competition and low prices - but there other producers on that side as well. How many anti-trust cases by the EU Commission within the last 6 weeks is this, all of them negative for tech companies? You think they don't pass these foreseen legal costs onto the consumer, ironically defeating the very purpose of such probes?

[L @ Oct 1st 2007 5:10PM]

If you really think that ~20% VAT in most European countries is in ANY relation to the "legal costs" of such anti-trust cases - well, then you just don't have a clue.

[John @ Oct 1st 2007 6:44PM]

I would love to see tech companies all jack up european prices until the EU stopped filing antitrust cases. I can't think of a single true international monopoly in existence today... which isn't to say that some people like Carlos 'Slim' don't have their own national monopolies

[Andrew @ Oct 2nd 2007 2:15AM]

Actually the 20% markup has to do with different *national* sales taxes and the vastly greater consumer protection rights. Take Norway where cellphones have a five (5) year legally mandated warranty! In Europe companies cannot limit their warranty through a contract like they do in the US. Not to mention the costs companies have to pay to give their employees and citizens free healthcare and welfare benefits.

The EU is working hard to ensure free competition through-out Europe for all! That means European companies are getting sued also, you just don't hear about them because there's no US interest in them!