Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL), the search engine giant, troubled with antitrust issues in Europe is not likely to get relief in near future as the new EU commissioner demands more time to understand the case. The investigation has been going around for four years with no conclusive results until now.
According to Margrethe Vestager, European Competition Commissioner, the case involving Google Inc and other parties is a “multifaceted” and “complex” problem, which would require a better understanding of the both the aspects and she needs more time to come up with a settlement. The previous EU chief, Joaquin Almunia, opened the case at least thrice but couldn’t settle it considering the complexity of the claims.
Vestager said,
“To decide how to take our investigations forward, I need to know what those most directly affected by the practices in question have to say. I need to have a representative sample of views of those concerned. Also, we are talking about fast moving markets – I have to be sure that we have all the facts up to date to get it right.”
Antitrust issues are not the only concern of Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) as politicians have claimed personal privacy issues with the company and said that the company might undermine the current diversity in media. Not only this, the search giant’s efforts to minimize its tax payments are under the scanner. Further, the resources have information regarding another under-the-funnel claim against the Android mobile OS run by the company.
There are mixed reactions from the legal and internet expert community. Vincent Brophy, partner with Jones Day in Brussels office, said,
“This is a very principled and encouraging position. The EU competition commission is supposed to look at competition issues and not other issues. For instance, privacy is simply not part of her brief. But in practice it’s difficult to disentangle these other issues when she is looking for a competition remedy.”
What is clear from these developments is that the antitrust probe is not likely to end in near future and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) might have to wait a little longer to get the case off its chest.
This article has been written by Prakash Pandey.
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