Facing a new wave of antitrust complaints in Europe, Google stood firm on Wednesday, saying it would not offer concessions to companies that have accused it of abusing its market power in online searches and advertising.
Google said it was preparing a response to questions sent by European antitrust regulators after the antitrust accusations from three companies, including a unit of its archrival, Microsoft. “We haven't done anything wrong,” said Julia Holtz, the senior competition counsel for Google. As a result, she said, the company did not consider it necessary to offer “any sort of commitment” in response to the complaints.
The complaints to the European Commission indicate rising frustration among competitors with Google's strength in the online advertising business and with its business practices.
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Market share
In some European countries, Google has more than 80 per cent of the market for Internet searches and advertising linked to them.
European Commission officials have said in the past, however, that market dominance was not, in and of itself, sufficient cause for antitrust sanctions.
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Antitrust experts said that Google's decision to publicise the complaints itself showed the company's determination to try to stop the case before it advanced any further. — New York Times News Service