A group of 165 companies and industry bodies have called on EU competition authorities to take a tougher line against Google, saying the US tech giant unfairly favours its own services on its web searches. The group including companies from the US, UK and 21 EU countries sent a joint letter to EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager outlining their concerns, according to a report from Reuters.
The group claims it is the largest-ever to write in concert to EU competition chiefs urging action. It's comprised of 135 companies that offer online services plus 30 industry associations. Signatories to the letter, seen by Reuters, include longstanding Google critics Yelp, Expedia, Trivago, Kelkoo, Stepstone and Foundem, whose previous complaints triggered the EU shopping probe against Google.
The European Commission said it had received the letter and would reply in due course. It added that it monitored the market carefully to assess the effectiveness of remedies offered for Google Shopping.Google has defended its operations, saying search users expect it to provide impartial results they can trust. It furthermore faces competition from other comparison sites and portals, which are only a click away on the internet.
One of the criticisms in the letter is the use of so-called OneBoxes, which the rivals say gives Google's own services preferential treatment in search results pages. OneBoxes outline information and images in boxes placed near the top of search results and are often ways for local businesses to get more visibility. However, they may also show Google’s job-search service, or a results for a flight or hotel query using Google’s services.
The group said Vestager should take action now against Google, rather than waiting for the EU's upcoming legislation on online services to be negotiated and implemented.
