EU: More changes needed for Google search results

The European Union's antitrust chief said Tuesday that Google will have to offer more changes to the way it displays search results to settle a pending case.

Google's search engine, which is the world's most influential gateway to online information and commerce, enjoys a near-monopoly in Europe with a market share of above 90 percent.

The EU Commission, the 27-nation bloc's antitrust authority, has been investigating since 2010 whether Google is abusing its dominant market position. It pointed out several areas of concern that Google is now trying to address through proposed concessions. Google Inc. has offered to more clearly label search results from its own services, such as Google News, Google Maps or its shopping and flight search functions. That would allow users to distinguish between natural search results and others promoted by Google. It also agreed to display some search results from its competitors and links to their services, the EU Commission said last month.

The Commission has often taken a harder line with U.S. tech companies than its American counterparts, the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department. Google, which is based in Mountain View, Calif., was able to settle a similar antitrust complaint on its search business with the FTC in January without making any major concessions on how it runs its search engine.

In the European case, the company said it considers its proposals to be sufficient, but pledged again to seek a settlement with the Commission. "We believe our proposal to the European Commission addresses the four concerns that were raised," said company spokesman Al Verney. "We continue to work with the Commission to settle this case."

Google's concessions were put to a test that gives competitors and other interested parties the possibility to provide the Commission with feedback. Once the Commission accepts the remedies, they become legally binding in Europe for Google.

The period to examine Google's proposals has been extended by one month, EU antitrust chief Joaquin Almunia told the European Parliament Tuesday. He said there was an "almost 100 percent" chance Google will be asked for further concessions.