THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — European Union regulators have opened an in-depth investigation into whether the Dutch government gave tax breaks to global sneaker giant Nike that might have breached EU rules governing state aid.

The EU's executive Commission said Thursday that the probe is centered on two Dutch-based companies that are part of the sports goods maker's global operations.

EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager says EU member states "should not allow companies to set up complex structures that unduly reduce their taxable profits and give them an unfair advantage over competitors."

Nike and the Dutch government did not immediately comment on the probe.

It is not the first time Dutch tax treatment of foreign companies has run into regulatory trouble. In 2015, the Commission ruled that the Netherlands gave tax advantages to Starbucks.