Google's Rivals Give Feedback On Google's Concessions in EU Antitrust Case
The European Commission has given Google's rivals a month in which to review the company's latest proposal to settle an antitrust case.
After receiving the feedback, the EU regulators will decide whether to accept the Internet search giant's offer to settle a three-year antitrust investigation and avoid a possible fine.
In July, competitors rejected Google's first proposal intended to allay concerns that it was blocking rivals including Microsoft in web search results in Europe, saying it would only reinforce the company's dominance.
Earlier this month, Google said it would allow rivals to display their logos and make their links more visible to users. It will also allow advertisers to export their advertising campaigns to other platforms. It also agreed to appoint an independent trustee to monitor the process.
However, Google's proposal doesn't include any changes to how search results are presented on the Google.com domain. The Commission takes the view that less than 10 percent of search carried out in the European Union is via the google.com website. The remedies cover search via in-browser search bars and voice queries.
Germany's Hotmaps and Britain's Streetmap, British price comparison site Foundem, a group of German and Spanish publishers and online travel sites such as Expedia have been complaining about Google's moves that do not allow for healthy competition.
The Commission can impose a fine of up to 10 percent of a company's annual revenue. It can also order changes in the company's operations to remove any antitrust breaches.
In July, competitors rejected Google's first proposal intended to allay concerns that it was blocking rivals including Microsoft in web search results in Europe, saying it would only reinforce the company's dominance.
Earlier this month, Google said it would allow rivals to display their logos and make their links more visible to users. It will also allow advertisers to export their advertising campaigns to other platforms. It also agreed to appoint an independent trustee to monitor the process.
However, Google's proposal doesn't include any changes to how search results are presented on the Google.com domain. The Commission takes the view that less than 10 percent of search carried out in the European Union is via the google.com website. The remedies cover search via in-browser search bars and voice queries.
Germany's Hotmaps and Britain's Streetmap, British price comparison site Foundem, a group of German and Spanish publishers and online travel sites such as Expedia have been complaining about Google's moves that do not allow for healthy competition.
The Commission can impose a fine of up to 10 percent of a company's annual revenue. It can also order changes in the company's operations to remove any antitrust breaches.
