EU: Commission bows to pressure against Google deal

The European Commission announced over the weekend that it would attempt to “extract” further concessions from Internet search giant Google following criticism against the current settlement deal.

European Commissioner Joaquin Almunia spoke to Bloomberg TV over the weekend to discuss the case and acknowledged that the Commission got “very, very negative” feedback in response to Almunia’s plans to accept Google’s settlement offer. The company has been under investigation by the EU for years following complaints that Google unfairly promotes its own services in its search results above rivals.

Almunia was reportedly steadfast on Google’s latest settlement offer despite criticism from consumer advocates, competing companies and even some fellow Commissioners; reports suggested that the Commissioner was looking to close the case before he leaves office later this year.

But the heavy criticism seems to have succeeded in delaying an offer. “Some complaints have introduced new arguments, new data, new considerations,” the watchdog chief said in the interview, adding that the Commission found some of the latest complaints “justified.”

Since Almunia signaled plans to accept Google’s revised round of concessions earlier this year, various EU publishers, Deutsche Telekom and others have submitted revamped complaints against Google.

Full content: Businessweek

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