Visa, Mastercard Fees Hit by New Round of EU Antitrust Scrutiny

Visa Inc. and Mastercard Inc. fees are under fresh scrutiny from European Union antitrust enforcers, less than a decade after a series of probes ended with hefty fines and an agreement to cut some of their controversial levies.

European Commission regulators last week circulated a new series of questions to market participants on “scheme fees” they impose on the financial institutions that provide card-payment services to retailers using Visa and Mastercard networks, according to people familiar with the matter.

The questionnaires homed in on whether retailers have a choice of whether to accept Visa and Mastercard payments, whether merchants are ...