Google must respond to EU antitrust charges by August 31

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By Larry Banks

Internet search giant Google has been given two more weeks by the European Union to counter chargers of abuses its market position in a dozens EU countries to avoid a find of up to a billion Euros.

The EU has extended the deadline for replying to August 31st from July 17th, a spokesperson for Google said on Thursday.

Google antitrust extension

It’s already the second such extension for Google, which had initially been given until July 7th to respond to the European Commission’s charges.

The Commission, which said in April that Google distorts web search results in favour of its own shopping services, said it had accepted the request for more time to reply.

“In line with normal practice, the Commission analyzed the reasons for the request. As a result, it has granted an extension allowing Google to fully exercise its rights of defence”, Commission spokesman Ricardo Cardoso said.

Google will apparently not ask for a closed hearing, which very rarely result in positive outcomes for companies. European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager’s charges have escalated an ongoing investigation that Google has already tried to settle without success.

The fine faced by Google could be up to ten percent of its global turnover…

SOURCE: Reuters.

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