Bulgaria's EU Commissioner Meglena Kuneva, who is in charge of consumer protection, has accused Apple Co. of unfair competition.

Talking to the German Focus magazine, Kuneva threw accusations of unfair competition at the company in connection with the sale of music for their iPods.

"Do you find it proper that a music CD can be played on all trademarks of players, but the music sold in iTunes can be played only on an iPod?" Kuneva said and added "I find it quite improper and I will do my best to change it."

Until now Apple have not responded to the challenge. Norway, which is not a EU member state also criticized the company in January and threatened the case may go to court.

Pressure on Apple grew substantially in the past few months when consumer protection organizations from Germany, France, Finland and Norway joined their efforts in the fight against iTunes.

The European Commission confirmed Kuneva's comment but stressed it represented her personal views only, not those of the Commission.

"I don't think she was stating it as a definitive policy position. At this stage it is her gut instinct," spokeswoman Helen Kearns said.