Antitrust: Commission sends Statement of Objections to Google on comparison shopping service; opens separate formal investigation on Android

Summary:

The European Commission sent Google a Statement of Objections on 15 April 2015 after forming its preliminary view that the company abused its dominant position the markets for general internet search services, by systematically favouring its own comparison shopping product in its general search results pages.

The Commission also announced the opening of a separate formal investigation over Google's conduct as regards the mobile operating system Android.

+ Antitrust Case 40099 | Google Android

• Primary Source

European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: MEMO/15/4781, 15.04.15: Antitrust: Commission sends Statement of Objections to Google on comparison shopping service http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-15-4781_en.htm

ESO: Background information: EU's new competition chief promises more Google probes http://www.europeansources.info/record/eus-new-competition-chief-promises-more-google-probes/

EurActiv, 02.04.15: Report: Commission to press antitrust charges against Google http://www.euractiv.com/sections/infosociety/report-commission-press-antitrust-charges-against-google-313488

ESO: Background information: EU changes tack on Google, threatens record fine http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-changes-tack-on-google-threatens-record-fine/

EUObserver, 15.04.15: EU to accuse Google of abusing power https://euobserver.com/digital/128322

European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: STATEMENT/15/4785, 15.04.15: Statement by Commissioner Vestager on antitrust decisions concerning Google http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-15-4785_en.htm

EUObserver, 15.04.15: Google faces possible EU fine https://euobserver.com/digital/128333

EUObserver, 16.04.15: Vestager's assured performance https://euobserver.com/news/128345

EurActiv, 15.04.15: EU charges Google in antitrust case http://www.euractiv.com/sections/innovation-industry/eu-charges-google-internet-search-anti-trust-case-313807

The New York Times, 15.04.15: Europe Challenges Google, Seeing Violations of Its Antitrust Law http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/business/international/european-union-google-antitrust-case.html

The Guardian, 14.04.15: European commission announces antitrust charges against Google www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/apr/14/european-commission-antitrust-charges-google

Euro|topics, April 2015: EU fuels battle against Google http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER161641-EU-fuels-battle-against-Google

The Economist, 18.04.15: Europe v Google. Nothing to stand on http://www.economist.com/news/business-and-finance/21648606-google

Google: Europe Blog, 15.04.15: The Search for Harm http://googlepolicyeurope.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/the-search-for-harm.html

Google: Europe Blog, 15.04.15: Android has helped create more choice and innovation on mobile than ever before http://googlepolicyeurope.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/android-has-helped-create-more-choice.html

Deutsche Welle, 15.04.15: EU Commission charges Google with market abuse http://dw.de/p/1F8jb

The Conversation, 16.04.15: Google and Android in the firing line as EU pulls trigger on competition inquiry http://theconversation.com/google-and-android-in-the-firing-line-as-eu-pulls-trigger-on-competition-inquiry-40291

Re/Code, 14.04.15: Here Is Google’s Internal Response to the Imminent EU Charges (Memo) http://recode.net/2015/04/14/here-is-googles-internal-response-to-the-imminent-e-u-charges-memo/

Blog: the eCommerce Blog by Allegro Group, 16.04.15: Google Under Fire http://ecommerce.blogactiv.eu/2015/04/16/google-under-fire/

Le Monde, 17.04.15: EU must not persist with Google offensive (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE161669-EU-must-not-persist-with-Google-offensive

Politico, 20.04.15: The Google gold rush http://www.politico.eu/article/brussels-high-tech-goldrush/

Politico, 20.04.15: [Opinion]: Gunning for Google http://www.politico.eu/article/eu-google-hunt-ill-conceived/

ENPA: Press Release, 15.04.15: European Press Publishers welcome the Commission’s decision to take action in Google anti-trust case http://www.enpa.be/en/news/-press-release-european-press-publishers-welcome-the-commissions-decision-to-take-action-in-google-anti-trust-case_141.aspx

The Conversation, 30.04.15: After years of talk, a regulator is willing to take on Google https://theconversation.com/after-years-of-talk-a-regulator-is-willing-to-take-on-google-40861

CEPS: Special Report, 29 September 2015: Searching for harm or harming search? A look at the European Commission’s antitrust investigation against Google http://aei.pitt.edu/67571/

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