Google, other companies may be split up by legislation from Europe

Google, other companies may be split up by legislation from Europe

Currently, the draft calls for EU antitrust regulators not to agree to the terms proposed by Google if they discriminate against rival marketing.

Web search engines are being targeted by the European Union because they see the business practices of Google, Inc. (GOOG) as being anti-competitive.

The EU hopes to split up Web search companies, according to a document released to these companies. Bloomberg News reported the EU called search engine practices “abusive.” Another document drafted by the European Peopleâs Party explained the companies need to be “unbundling search engines from other commercial services” so Europe’s digital industry can thrive.

The draft released by the EPP does not mention Google, but Google holds 90 percent of the market share of similar companies in Europe.

The goal is for search results to be “best for [users], rather than best for Google,” reads one draft.

The parliament does not have the direct power to split up companies, but plans to bring about the split by using its influence over the commission which passes laws for the European Union.

Currently, the draft calls for EU antitrust regulators not to agree to the terms proposed by Google if they discriminate against rival marketing.

A vote on whether to proceed with the resolution will take place on 26 Nov.

The EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager, recently appointed on 1 Nov., has said she will be open to hearing the testimonies of Google and similar companies before making decisions on how to proceed, said the Financial Times, who initially released news of the EU documents.

The EU formally investigated Google in 2010. Since making their discoveries of the unfair practices of the company, they have been attempting to draft a working proposal to fix the problem.

Google has declined to comment on the accusations so far.

 

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