EU Commission extends proceedings against Google from – tagesschau.de

The European Commission is expanding its competition proceedings against the US Internet giant Google. For the first time the authority accuses the company also unfair competition in its core business of online advertising. In addition, the Supervisory Authority tightened the allegations to the shopping search.

The EU antitrust guards intensify their action against Google and throw the Internet giant for the first time also unfair competition in its core business of online advertising before. Among others, the Group cabinets the possibilities of a company to display on their websites search advertising from Google’s competitors, the European Commission said. The Brussels authorities expanded the allegations in the competition process for the shopping search.

New evidence

It is the third area, in which, in a so-called “statement of Objections” unfair competition the Commission accuses Google and changes calls. In the first two methods, which came to this escalation, it comes to shopping offers and the world’s dominant operating system Android.

The shopping services it was now, Google had more evidence and data have been supplied that underpinned the Commission’s complaints. Even the advertising business consider the Brussels cartel investigations for years. Google rejected the accusations of anticompetitive behavior always returns

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Google has Vowürfe back

Around 90 percent Google revenue of $ 74.5 billion last year came from the business of online advertising. Here ads bring in the field of Internet search continues to be a the most money. The new roof Group Alphabet controlled all other divisions besides Google only about 450 million in sales in. It is thus the core of the business of the whole group.

The Commission interferes among other things, that customers Google remove a minimum number of search advertising and for on their websites the most visible would reserve space. Also competing search advertising must be placed either above or next to Google’s search ads, the Commission said.

Google rejected the accusations of anticompetitive behavior always returns. Today, the group said in a first reaction: “We are convinced that our innovations and product enhancements have improved not only the choices for European consumers, but also the competition conducive We will examine the Commission’s new points on it next in the. reply weeks in detail. ” Ten weeks the group has this time.

sentences of up to ten percent of the annual turnover

In April the Commission Google had in a second method accused of hindering the business policy in Android competition in the smartphone market. Bothers you, among other things the fact that manufacturers of Android devices necessarily the Google search and the web browser Google Chrome would preinstall integrated services of the Group. The Group also manufacturers and mobile operators offering financial incentives that they pre-install only the Google search on the devices.

In EU competition procedures threaten ultimately penalties of up to ten percent of annual sales. The Commission launched the first competitive test of Google already in early 2010.