The European Union Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia has rejected latest proposals by internet major Google aimed at settling the ongoing three-year antitrust probe.
Google’s settlement would save it from allegations such as its misuse of its leading position in search to its unfair competitive benefit, like blocking rivals such as Microsoft in web searches.
Almunia said in a Spanish radio interview that Google’s latest offer did not eliminate the Commission’s concerns about the way the search engine company was treating its rivals in so-called vertical searches.
"The latest offer as submitted by Google in October … the latest proposals are not acceptable in the sense that they are not proposals that can eliminate our concerns regarding competition," Almunia added.
"At this moment, there is little time left, but the ball is still in Google’s court. But within a short time frame, the ball will then be here (with the Commission) and then it will be the moment to take decisions."
Google is being probed by the EC since 2010 after receiving several complaints from its rival firms, including Microsoft, Expedia and TripAdvisor, claiming it was blocking rivals from its search results.
