Ref. Ares(2018)2574061 - 17/05/2018
Ref. Ares(2018)2751838 - 28/05/2018
From:
(CNECT)
Sent:
17 May 2018 13:03
To:
CNECT F4
Subject:
FW: FairSearch Europe request for a meeting
From: xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
[mailto:xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx]
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2014 4:50 PM
To:
(CNECT)
Subject: FairSearch Europe request for a meeting
DG CONNECT
European Commission
Dear
Google’s anti-competitive practices have already led to the elimination
of competition in video search, blog search and mapping, nearly
eradicated product-price-comparison markets in Europe, and are now
on their way to eliminating competition in travel search and financial
price comparison. Only by restoring fair competition to the market can
we stop this monopolisation of search. However, tragically, the
settlement proposed by Google – its third attempt – will not achieve
this objective.
After an in-depth review of Google’s third package of proposed
commitments, FairSearch Europe and its members – a group of
European and US businesses that have come together to promote and
defend competition in both the search and mobile markets – have
determined that Europe is confronted with an unprecedented situation.
Not only do the proposed commitments fail to redress Google’s anti-
trust violations as set out by Commi
ssioner Almunia in a statement of
21 May 2012[5], consisting in the first place of diverting search traffic
away from rivals towards its own vertical (specialised) services, but they
additionally require market operators to
pay to benefit from the
offered remedy via the proposed auction mechanism. The proposed
[5] Statement of VP Almunia on the Google antitrust investigation, Brussels, 21 May 2012
: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-
release_SPEECH-12-372_en.htm.
commitments will increase revenues to the infringer while devastating
competition, particularly in the previously thriving online travel and
financial reporting sectors.
In light of the devastating consequences of the proposed
commitments, and at the suggestion of
FairSearch
Europe would welcome a meeting with you to discuss this deeply
troublesome settlement proposal. Would you be available for a
meeting on either of the following days and times. We generally need
about an hour to review our arguments and to provide the facts about
the business impact of these proposals:
• Thursday, 26 June between 9:15 and 15:00
• Friday, 27 June between 10:30 and 15:00
If these times are not convenient, I would be happy to provide
alternatives.
Please note that FairSearch Europe has met with the cabinet of
Commissioner Kroes and set out in detail our arguments in letters to all
Commissioners.
Yours sincerely,
FairSearch Europe Secretariat
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