The EU takes Google ago – www.dw.de

 The EU Commission tightened its monetary stance in competition dispute with Google: The Brussels cartel investigations sent on Wednesday after a nearly five-year study their objections to the US Internet giant, in which they accuse the company of abusive exploitation of a dominant position in general online search services.

 Google systematically prefer the own price comparison service for its general search results pages, the Commission said. The behavior contrary, according to preliminary results of EU antitrust law, arguing that it hampers competition and consumers pity. At the end of the current investigation since 2010 a fine of around six billion euros could stand for Google.

 In addition, EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager opened an antitrust investigation to mobile Android operating system, which is used on smartphones and tablets and has by far the largest market share in this business. “If the investigation confirms our fears, Google would have to bear the legal consequences and change its business practices in Europe,” Vestager said.

  Google refers to “strong case”

 Google has market shares of up to 90 percent of Internet search in European countries. In an EU competition proceedings billion penalties and cuts to the business model they might face. Google had repeatedly agreed to concessions, which are also found Vestagers predecessor Joaquín Almunia sufficient. In the Commission, however, there was opposition to a termination of the proceedings. Competitors and companies in the media industry went Googles concessions not go far enough: they want to, inter alia, a more prominent place in the display of search results

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 Google had been informed in advance about the plans of the Competition Commissioner, reported the Financial Services Bloomberg. The General Counsel of the Group, Kent Walker, had indeed shown disappointed in an internal letter, but stresses Google have a strong case.

 If Google’s specific allegations made by the Commission has received, the Group may take a position in writing or at a hearing. It will be a lengthy process in any case.

  A fine would have the smallest problem

 In a competitive practices in the EU, the punishment reach up to ten percent of annual sales. Last year, Google continued by 66 billion dollars. Given the cash reserves of over 60 billion dollar would provide for Google even such a billion penalty may be easy to lift – Changes in the search engine but could impact the Group: Google makes its money is still mainly displays in the environment of the Internet search

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 At issue is all about the display of search results to some online retail, restaurants or travel. Specialized search engines criticize Google Place Results from own products better. In addition, Google has been trying for some time, among other things, with a view to the exploitation of small smartphone screens amplified to provide the same concrete answers instead of lists of links to users.

 The hitherto most spectacular competition proceedings in Brussels had the software giant Microsoft affected, who had to pay over two billion euros at the end. Now Microsoft is that hundreds of millions of dollars stuck largely unsuccessful in its own search engine, with Google’s critics in the EU process.

 dk / ZDH (dpa / rtr / afp)