Despite earlier claims to the contrary, European Union consumer chief Meglena Kuneva said that they'd rather not take legal action against Apple.

Instead, she said, "I would like, really, to start this debate. What is best to develop this market and to have more consumers enjoying this really very important, very modern way of downloading and enjoying the music?"

If you buy a song on iTunes, the only way you can play it is either on your computer or on an iPod. But if you buy a CD, you can play it in all CD players. Not our words - that's a paraphrase of what she had said earlier in this month's issue of Focus (a German publication) - but still mostly correct nonetheless, at least not without using workarounds.

EU consumer chief sounds a softer iTunes note [Reuters via CNET News]