Press Release: Antitrust: Commission obtains from Google comparable display of specialised search rivals

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details IP/14/116 (05.02.14)
Publication Date 05/02/2014
Content Type

On the 5 February 2014, the European Commission obtained an improved commitments proposal from Google in the context of the ongoing antitrust investigation on online search and search advertising.

In its proposal, Google accepted to guarantee that whenever it promotes its own specialised search services on its web page (e.g. for products, hotels, restaurants, etc.), the services of three rivals, selected through an objective method, would also be displayed in a way that is clearly visible to users and comparable to the way in which Google displays its own services.

On the 21 February 2014, EU Commissioner in charge of competition, JoaquĆ­n Almunia, discussed the ongoing antitrust investigation against Google and reassured that the company remained under close scrutiny.

The European Commission further promised in March 2014 that the revenues generated by EU remedies proposed in the antitrust case against Google would be shared with competitors, and would not generate further income for the US search giant.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-116_en.htm
Related Links
European Commission: RAPID: Memo, MEMO/14/87: Antitrust: Commission obtains from Google comparable display of specialised search rivals- Frequently asked questions http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-14-87_en.pdf
ESO: Background information: The Google antitrust case: what is at stake? http://www.europeansources.info/record/speech-the-google-antitrust-case-what-is-at-stake/
BBC News, 05.02.14: Google to make 'significant' changes to avoid EU fine http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26047446
European Commissiom: RAPID: Speech, SPEECH/14/93: Statement on the Google investigation http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-14-93_en.pdf
EurActiv, 06.02.14: Brussels reaches antitrust deal with Google, gets scolded http://www.euractiv.com/innovation-enterprise/eu-commission-reaches-antitrust-news-533302
EUObserver, 05.02.14: Google on brink of EU settlement http://euobserver.com/news/123014
EurActiv, 26.02.14: Google remains under EU scrutiny http://www.euractiv.com/innovation-enterprise/google-remains-eu-scrutiny-news-533755
EurActiv, 13.03.14: Almunia sticking to his guns in Google antitrust case http://www.euractiv.com/innovation-enterprise/almunia-keeps-tough-line-google-news-534114
EurActiv, 19.03.14: Google will not benefit from EU antitrust case: Almunia http://www.euractiv.com/infosociety/google-benefit-eu-antitrust-case-news-534238
EurActiv, 01.04.14: Consumers join battle against Google in search case http://www.euractiv.com/sections/infosociety/consumers-join-battle-against-google-search-case-301270
European Commission: RAPID: Statement/14/1646: Statement by Commissioner Vestager on Google antitrust investigations at the European Parliament (ECON committee meeting) http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-14-1646_en.htm

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