Pressure on Apple Computer to open its closed system of the iTunes digital music store and the iPod music player is spreading across Europe.

Last week Norway, Denmark and Sweden said Apple must make music tracks downloaded from iTunes playable on rival devices or get out of their countries. Finland is also looking at intervening. In France, legislation in its final stages in parliament would force all electronic devices to be "interoperable". Other European countries are thought to be considering action of their own.