Google in the sights of Brussels: risk a fine of more than 6 billion … – Il Sole 24 Ore

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This article was published April 15, 2015 at 21:19.
The last change is the April 15, 2015 at 21:22.

In a climate already difficult economic relations between the European Union and the United States, the European Commission today officially opened a new front, announcing the sending of a letter of objection to Google, the American company accused of abusing a dominant power in the field of search engines on the Internet. At the same time, the EU executive has decided to open a formal investigation against the Californian group to impose as the use of its services in Android phones.

After nearly five years of extensive discussions, the European Commission decided to formalize his reproaches against the American society. For some time now Brussels is convinced that the company encourages its services to the detriment of competition in listing on a computer screen the results of a research carried out with Google. In some European countries, 90% of research carried out on the web is through the portal of the company, which is based in Mountain View, California.

“If one is not found” on the Internet, “you can not do business,” he said here in Brussels at a press conference waiting Margrete Verstager, the Competition Commissioner. “When you want something you have the ambition to find the best answer to your request.” Amit Singhal, Google’s vice president, has contended to be “strongly” disagreed with the Commission in the field of Internet shopping, “he said, referring to Amazon or Ebay,” there is a lot of competition. “

Google has ten weeks to reply to the letter of the European Commission. Ultimately, if the American company is found to be at fault, it would be required to pay a fine of up to 10% of its turnover, which in 2014 amounted to 66 billion dollars. So far, in the field of competition, the highest fine was imposed on Intel, called to pay a fine of EUR 1.06 billion in 2014 for abusing its dominant position between 2002 and 2007.

Ms. Vestager not wanted now appear too combative or aggressive. He explained several times that “all roads are open”, and that the dialogue with Google can continue despite sending a letter of objection from Brussels. “We do not want to interfere with the graphics of the screen, or with the operation of the algorithm – assured the former Danish Minister of Finance -. We simply want that customers get the best research possible. “

At the same time, Brussels has also decided to investigate whether American society imposes on mobile phone manufacturers that use its Android program to offer its customers services. “The majority of handset makers (…) use Android in association with a number of applications and services exclusive to Google,” noted the Commission. The two European decisions come as the United States and European Union are negotiating a free trade agreement difficult.

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