CEPIC submitted a competition complaint at the European Commission in November 2013. In April 2016, a second competition complaint of Getty Images followed. Google is accused of leveraging its dominant position in general web search to favour its own service: Google Images.
CEPIC and members
CEPIC looks forward to the European Commission intensifying its investigations in other specialized search services such as the image sector. Many sectors are affected by Google’s abusive conduct, such as Travel and Maps.
The image sector should not be forgotten! The press release explains why.
BVPA member uses the opportunity to remind that the damaging features of Google Images introduced in 2013, have now reached Germany and “something must change“!
FairSearch
Fairsearch brings together the main complainants in the Google Shopping case. Specifically, Fondem, the original complainant in 2010, who bought the first anti-trust claim against Google is one of them. FairSearch focuses are non-discriminatory Search and Androïd.
CEPIC joined FairSearch in 2016.
Thomas Vinje, Legal Counsel of Fairsearch issued the following statement on behalf of the association on 27 June 2017
Commission condemns Google for search manipulation practices violating EU competition law
ICOMP
ICOMP’s membership as diverse as rights management, sports, travel, search, mapping and ecommerce. CEPIC has been a member of ICOMP since 2009.
EC’s decision and fine in the Google case
Open Internet Project (OIP)
The OIP was created in 2014. OIP’s main objective is to achieve neutrality on the Internet. ICOMP joined forces with the OIP in March 2017.
The OIP welcomes the decision taken by the European Commission against Google
L’OIP se félicite de la décision rendue par la Commission européenne à l’encontre de Google
As a lawyer following the cases (German press publishers, CEPIC, OIP) Dr. Thomas Höppner is positive:
Consumer organisation BEUC
Google record fine paves way for better search results for consumers
Press Publishers
The other side of the story
The other side of the story: consumers expect “fast and easy connections” says Google and the EC has failed to recognise this.
The European Commission decision on online shopping: the other side of the story
The Computer & Communication Association (aka Google’s lobbyist) sees for its part a “chilling effect on innovation”.
EC Issues Record Fine In Google Shopping Case; CCIA Concerned About Chilling Effect On Innovation
… or considers Google the victim rather than the abuser:
United States of America
In its defense, Google has argued that the complaints submitted at the EC were motivated by an anti-US sentiment.
- Getty Images joined six other major US corporations, including Yelp and Oracle, to express support for the action of the EC from a US point of view:
HERE - Listen to this interview on CNN of Luther Lower, vice president of Yelp
HERE - ConsumerWatchDog urged the US authorities to act against Google anti-competitive practices
HERE - White House refused to comment
MEDIA
The announcement of the sanctions against Google had the effect of a bomb. The present document includes only a part of the media coverage (Source is FairSearch)
