This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Meetings with FairSearch'.



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 Commissioner 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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