EC Gives Google 2 July Deadline To Change Search

The European Commission (EC) has given Google until 2 July to change its search results and its advertising or it could face legal action.

The search giant is accused of using its near monopoly on search to hinder its competition and is the subject of a number of antitrust investigations around in the world, including the US and Asia.

Compromise Possible

The latest demands were made in a written private letter sent to Google by the EC’s head of competition policy Joaquin Almunia, according to the Guardian. The letter stated the commission’s concern that Google’s dominance in Europe, where it controls 90 percent of searches, could be harming competition.

Although it is not illegal to have a monopoly, it is forbidden to abuse this dominant position. The EC argues that Google displays links to its own vertical search services differently to its competitors and copies content from rivals such as restaurant reviews.

Online travel agency Expedia is but one firm in a long list of companies that has complained about Google’s “anti-competitive” business and search practices.

Last week, the EC wrote to Google chairman Eric Schmidt to tell him that the company had a matter of weeks to address areas of its business where it could be considered as abusing dominance. Schmidt has previously indicated he was willing to compromise on the issue.

Earlier today, Google filed a complaint with the European Commission that alleged Nokia and Microsoft were conspiring to use their patents against rivals. However this has been dismissed by some as an attempt to distract from Google’s own antitrust allegations.

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