EU gets backing to consider splitting up Google

Lawmakers added to Google's regulatory woes in the European Union after they voted for the EU to consider splitting up search engines.

The European Parliament backed a resolution asking the European Commission - which is investigating Google for possible antitrust violations - to consider "unbundling search engines from other commercial services."

The motion didn’t mention Google by name.

Google, which has a market share of more than 90 per cent for Internet search in some European countries, faces an assault from across the euro zone.

It was criticised by privacy regulators this week, targeted by German politicians who urged the EU to push on with an antitrust investigation and faces a possible levy on internet copyright, adding to a Spanish law that allows publishers charge for web content.

The parliament’s plans angered the US government and a US-based industry group, who criticised attempts to influence the EU’s four-year long antitrust investigation.

While Google has been silent on the assembly's plan, it's won the support of Germany's Guenther Oettinger, the EU's digital commissioner, who said a breakup wouldn't happen on his watch.

Splitting Google is merely one option that the European Commission should consider as it decides what to do with an investigation that hits a four-year anniversary at the end of this month, said Andreas Schwab, the architect of the parliament's call, in an interview.

Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s antitrust chief who took office on Nov. 1, earlier this month said she would decide where the investigation goes after she’s spoken to companies affected by Google’s behaviour.

Plans to settle the case were delayed on negative feedback from rivals.

Bloomberg