Amazon continues to expand in Germany, Europe's largest economy, by hiring its own last-mile delivery drivers and creating 500 jobs in the country as part of its Amazon Web Services cloud computing team.

The company said Tuesday that it is opening 11 distribution centers across Germany and hiring its own last-mile delivery drivers to handle increased sales volume. By hiring its own drivers, the company could pose a threat to established delivery firms in Germany such as Deutsche Post DHL, Hermes and DPD.

Hiring drivers might also be a move by the company to detract from criticism by the German authorities regarding its delivery subcontractors. German authorities discovered February that some subcontractors doing delivery work for Amazon frequently do not pay drivers minimum wage or other benefits.

Germany is looking at ratifying legislation on Wednesday that will make companies like Amazon liable for the behavior of the contractors they work with.

On Monday, Amazon announced that it would open a new office for the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud computing platform in Munich, creating 500 new jobs. The company will also have a Digital Builders showroom at the Munich office which will allow prospective AWS clients to see what the platform can do.

AWS is expanding its presence in Germany after receiving a cloud computing security certification from the country's cybersecurity authority.

Amazon said in July that the company plans to create 2,800 jobs in Germany across more than 35 sites across the country by the end of 2019.

Amazon has been criticized in Europe for its working conditions and for its impact on the environment, with protests at Amazon locations taking place in several European countries in recent years.

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