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ARTICLE · 22 APRIL 2015

Two Things

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The Google antitrust investigations in the EU have featured heavily in the news this week, with reports that the EU Commission would (then had) 'filed formal charges' in connection with one of the two ongoing investigations.

United KingdomAntitrust/Competition Law
John Cassels
John Cassels

1.  Searching

The Google antitrust investigations in the EU have featured heavily in the news this week, with reports that the EU Commission would (then had) 'filed formal charges' in connection with one of the two ongoing investigations.  But what does 'file formal charges' mean, and what has actually happened in the investigation? 

The EU Commission issued its Statement of Objections (SO) on Tuesday in the search/shopping results investigation.  The key concerns in that investigation are Google's results ranking and advertising arrangements. 

The SO is a key document that must be issued in proceedings where the Commission intends to find that there has been an infringement of the EU's antitrust laws. It should only be issued once the Commission has completed all of its fact-finding.  Its purpose is to inform the parties concerned of the objections raised against them with a view to enabling them to exercise their rights of defence, both in writing and orally

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