European publishers, technology companies and startup associations have urged European Union regulators to accelerate an ongoing antitrust investigation into Google’s search practices and move toward imposing a penalty, as per media reports.
In a joint communication to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, competition chief Teresa Ribera and tech policy head Henna Virkkunen, several industry organisations called for the case to be concluded at the earliest, potentially within the coming week, as per media reports. The signatories included the European Publishers Council, the European Magazine Media Association, the European Tech Alliance and EU Travel Tech, alongside media groups such as Axel Springer, News Corp and Conde Nast.
The probe was initiated on March 25, 2024 under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, which is designed to regulate the conduct of large digital platforms. Regulators had earlier indicated a target timeline of around 12 months for concluding such cases, with formal charges already issued during the course of the investigation, as per media reports.
The industry bodies flagged that prolonged delays could undermine the effectiveness of the regulatory framework and weaken confidence in enforcement. They also pointed to the financial strain on European companies, stating that ongoing uncertainty is affecting their ability to invest and expand, as per media reports.
The European Commission confirmed that it has received the letter and reiterated its intent to complete the investigation swiftly. Google, on its part, has stated that it has introduced changes to its search services in response to regulatory concerns, while maintaining that it does not prioritise its own offerings. However, competing firms continue to argue that these adjustments do not adequately address the issue, as per media reports.
