European Commission Obtains from Google Comparable Display of Specialized Search Rivals

News provided by

Delegation of the European Union to the United States

Feb 05, 2014, 12:18 ET

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2014 The European Commission has obtained an improved commitments proposal from Google in the context of the ongoing antitrust investigation on online search and search advertising. In its proposal, Google has now accepted to guarantee that whenever it promotes its own specialized search services on its web page (e.g. for products, hotels, restaurants, etc.), the services of three rivals, selected through an objective method, will also be displayed in a way that is clearly visible to users and comparable to the way in which Google displays its own services. This principle will apply not only for existing specialized search services, but also to changes in the presentation of those services and for future services.

"My mission is to protect competition to the benefit of consumers, not competitors," said Commission Vice President in charge of competition policy, Joaquín Almunia. "I believe that the new proposal obtained from Google after long and difficult talks can now address the Commission's concerns. Without preventing Google from improving its own services, it provides users with real choice between competing services presented in a comparable way; it is then up to them to choose the best alternative. This way, both Google and its rivals will be able and encouraged to innovate and improve their offerings. Turning this proposal into a legally binding obligation for Google would ensure that competitive conditions are both restored quickly and maintained over the next years."

Google had already made significant concessions regarding the other concerns raised by the Commission:

Google will give content providers an extensive opt-out from the use of their content in Google's specialized search services if they so wish, without being penalized by Google.
Google will remove exclusivity requirements in its agreements with publishers for the provision of search advertisements; and
Google will remove restrictions on the ability for search advertising campaigns to be run on competing search advertising platforms.

An important aspect of the proposal is that Google's compliance with these commitments would be supervised by an independent monitoring trustee. The commitments would cover the European Economic Area (EEA) for 5 years.

The Commission will in the coming period inform the complainants in this case of the reasons why it believes Google's offer is capable of addressing the Commission's concerns. The complainants will then have the opportunity to make their views known to the Commission before the Commission takes a final decision on whether to make Google's commitments legally binding on Google.

Additional information:

Further background on the Commission's concerns and procedural background.

Statement by Vice President Joaquín Almunia on the Google investigation

Antitrust: Commission obtains from Google comparable display of specialised search rivals- Frequently asked questions

Delegation of the European Union to the United States
2175 K Street (entrance from 22nd Street), NW, Washington, DC 20037
www.EUintheUS.org & @EUintheUS

SOURCE Delegation of the European Union to the United States