The anti-free trade consortium in Brussels is leveling more charges at Google (GOOGL). The EU nannycrats just cannot stand or deal with a successful business that people like.

The Financial Times reports Brussels Piles New Charges on Google as Vestager Digs In.

Brussels launched another volley of competition complaints against Google on Thursday, marking the latest gambit in a protracted antitrust saga.

Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s competition enforcer, issued two extra sets of charges against the US group, alleging that it abused its search clout to muscle out smaller rivals in online advertising and shopping comparison markets.

However, rather than significantly broadening the regulatory assault against Google, the moves largely consolidate the European Commission’s position as it edges towards infringement decisions and possible fines. These would only come to pass in 2017 at the earliest — some eight years after the first complaint against Google was filed.

The new charges create a three-front legal battle line with Google by adding to allegations in April related to the Android mobile operating system, which are potentially the most problematic for the company. Google has rejected any wrongdoing and said its “innovations and product improvements have increased choice for European consumers and promote competition”.

High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email [email protected] to buy additional rights. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c9880660-49d9-11e6-8d68-72e9211e86ab.html#ixzz4ERRiJg25

Competition investigators generally wish to avoid additional charge sheets, which indicate their legal case is trickier than first expected. But the concession does not mean the investigation is dead — Ms Vestager stressed such follow-up charges were issued in Brussels’ successful cases against Microsoft and Intel.

Indeed, her decision signals that she is raising her stakes and is likely to see the matter through to a decision and possible fine — rather than opting for a settlement — according to legal analysts.

“She is doubling down. They are sinking their teeth in further and they will finish the shopping case. That is plain,” said Alec Burnside, a lawyer at Cadwalader acting for complainants in a separate matter against Google.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email