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Google antitrust fine could come as soon as this week

Google CEO Sundar Pichai | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Google antitrust fine could come as soon as this week

Company’s rivals say the case will attract a record fine of over €1.1 billion and set a precedent the world over.

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The European Commission may rule on its long-running inquiry into Google Shopping as soon as this Wednesday, leading to what is predicted to be a record antitrust fine for the Silicon Valley firm, according to two sources familiar with its thinking.

The decision before the College of Commissioners, who are due to meet mid-week, will set the stage for what is likely to be an acrimonious legal dispute between the U.S. tech titan and Margrethe Vestager, the European commissioner for competition, echoing the battle with Microsoft a decade ago.

The company’s rivals say the case will attract a record fine of over €1.1 billion and set a precedent the world over.

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Investigators already drafted their decision, which is said to set out the changes they would like to see the search engine make to the way it presents rankings.

A spokesperson for the Commission declined to comment. A spokesperson for Google said,”We continue to engage constructively with the European Commission and we believe strongly that our innovations in online shopping have been good for shoppers, retailers and competitors.”

The Commission’s probe focuses on the way Google places a Google Shopping box at the top of its search results, reducing the visibility of other shopping websites. The case raises broader questions about how Google uses its search engine to allegedly monopolize traffic and profits online.

In separate cases, EU antitrust regulators also leveled charges against Android, Google’s ubiquitous mobile operating system, and its advertising business.

The verdict will be the first major regulatory setback for Google worldwide, and is likely to set an important precedent for antitrust enforcers globally from Seoul to Brasilia.

Authors:
Nicholas Hirst