EBay has asked the European Union’s antitrust chief to investigate companies that prevent retailers from offering their goods on the auction site or other e-commerce platforms.

EBay deputy general counsel Tod Cohen said he had highlighted his concerns about “anti-competitive” and “abusive” distribution agreements, which are “manipulating and controlling the markets beyond EU market rules”.

The e-tailer and auctioneer has been involved in legal disputes over distribution policies from retailers such as Tiffany in the US to Louis Vuitton in France. In turn, retailers have complained about the sale of counterfeit goods online.

EU competition commissioner Neelie Kroes said: “There are a number of practices that are being used to restrict cross-border sales, which I think require a closer look.