EU: Commission sees improved competition from Google remedies

After Google reforms there are signs some rivals are benefiting, Europe’s competition chief said on Monday.

The comments from European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager come amid calls from Google’s competitors for her to take more drastic action against the world’s most popular internet search engine.

A year after being hit with a record €2.4 billion ($2.8 billion) fine by the European Commission, Google has yet to create a level playing field, according to rivals such as British comparison shopping sites Foundem and Kelkoo and others in the travel search, digital mapping and publishing markets.

Google’s proposal involves allowing competitors to bid for ads at the top of a search page aimed at giving them the chance to compete on equal terms.

Vestager said she was aware of the rivals’ concerns but cited figures to show that competition was improving.

“We know from our monitoring there’s been a steady increase in the numbers over the last few months. The most recent figures show at least one rival appears in about one-third of new shopping boxes as compared to 15 percent of the shopping boxes back in March,” she told a European Parliament hearing.

Full Content: Reuters

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