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CEPIC has been requested by the European Commission to send information on the use of Google Images. We have data from 79 agencies so far, from all across Europe.
In May 2012, the European Commission announced that it had identified four areas “where Google business practices may be considered as abuses of dominance”:
On Wednesday 15 April the European Commission issued a Statement of Objections against Google alleging that Google has abused its dominant position by systematically favoring its own comparison shopping service in its general search result pages.
The Initiative for a Competitive Online Marketplace (ICOMP) applauds the European
Commission for taking decisive action to end Google’s years of abusive behaviour in its long-running
antitrust case and by opening a second investigation into the Android mobile platform.
The European Commission has sent a Statement of Objections to Google alleging the company has abused its dominant position in the markets for general internet search services in the European Economic Area (EEA) by systematically favouring its own comparison shopping product in its general search results pages. The Commission’s preliminary view is that such conduct infringes EU antitrust rules because it stifles competition and harms consumers. Sending a Statement of Objections does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation.
European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said at a press conference in Brussels that she is “seeking fresh information from online map and travel companies about competition in the market,” as she moves forward with her antitrust investigation of Google, according to the Wall Street Journal. “We have sent questionnaires to a number of people in … Continued
“Given Google’s dominance in search and search advertising, and its persistent discrimination against rivals in downstream markets (such as video, maps, comparison shopping, travel, local etc), it is unsurprising that critics are concerned by what economists describe as ‘vertical leveraging’.
Statement of Ms Vestager, EU Commissoner for Competion on the next steps in the Google antitrust case.
The Wall Street Journal and other news outlets are this evening reporting that the European Commission may require Google to provide further concessions in the on-going antitrust investigation.
Google’s actions damage the Czech Internet sector, which is prepared to take defensive measures.
