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7/26/12

EU regulators seek global concessions from Google - by FOO YUN CHEE

European Union regulators are seeking concessions from Google which could be applied worldwide to resolve concerns about its business practices, the EU’s antitrust chief said on Wednesday, raising the stakes in forthcoming settlement talks.

Google, whose search engine is used for around four-fifths of Internet searches in Europe, has been accused by rivals of abusing its dominant market position, and the European Commission said in May it was concerned about its alleged anti-competitive behaviour.

The Commission typically looks for concessions that would benefit European consumers, but has on occasions asked for remedies with a broader scope.

“We will look for worldwide solutions, it will not be very useful to get European-wide solutions,” EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia told a news conference.

The Google case is a critical one for Mr. Almunia, and his demand for globally applicable solutions – which might see an EU decision serving as a template for worldwide regulators – shows another way in which he is trying to stamp his mark on EU competition policy.

Read more: EU regulators seek global concessions from Google - The Globe and Mail

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