A Taipei court has upheld a decision by Taiwan’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) to impose a fine of TWD20 million ($650,000) on Apple for its restrictive businesses practices considered to be anti-competitive.

The company was fined by the FTC for restrictive distribution practices with the country’s three major mobile operators.

It follows an earlier ruling from the FTC, concerning the fact that the US company required advance approval for pricing plans for its iPhone line (devices from iPhone 4 up to iPhone 5S were cited).

The argument made by the authorities is that when Apple transfers devices to its partners for sale – in this case operators Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile and Far EasTone – it loses the right to control sales prices.