EU reaffirms Google antitrust probe, but "not in a rush"
updated 10:41 am EDT, Fri May 4, 2012
Timeframe for resolution remains unclear
European Union officials have reaffirmed their commitment to an ongoing Google antitrust investigation, however regulators have hinted that the probe may take much longer to complete. In a statement provided to "This is a complex case," added Almunia. "We are not in a hurry. We are very serious."
The search giant is currently under scrutiny by the European Commission for several issues, including antitrust complaints from more than a dozen tech companies including Microsoft. Critics accuse the company of skewing search results to favor its own services over those of rivals.
Almunia was initially expected to make a final decision sometime last month, however he has yet to decide if the company will be formally charged and notified of specific violations.
The company was recently blasted by European privacy regulators over the Wi-Fi capturing debacle, which may bring criminal charges in Germany and other countries. The company is said to have misled investigators, blaming the Street View snooping program on a rogue developer rather than admitting that higher-level managers approved the activity.
