From the BBC:
The board of directors of Google has voted in favour of breaking up the European Union, as a solution to complaints that it favours its own services.
Executives have no power to enforce a break-up, but the landmark vote sends a clear message to European regulators.
European Parliament politicians have voiced their dismay at the vote. The ultimate decision will rest with lobbyists for other large international corporations such as Apple and Fiat.
They are currently being investigated for anti-competitive practices and sweetheart tax deals entered into with Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Ireland.
Thursday, 27 November 2014
"European Union should be broken up, says Google"
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3 comments:
From the article
"Google has around 90% market share for search in Europe and rivals asked the commission to investigate four areas:
The manner in which Google displays its own vertical search services compared with other, competing products
How Google copies content from other websites - such as restaurant reviews - to include within its own services
The exclusivity Google has to sell advertising around the search terms people use
Restrictions on advertisers from moving their online ad campaigns to rival search engines
Predecessor Joaquin Almunia tried and failed to settle the case. A series of concessions made by Google were rejected, leading Mr Almunia to suggest that the only option was a fine. This could be up to $5bn."
All seems very sensible to me. Particularly the last bit.
They(USA) "whack" our banks, oil companies and Airbus......
We(EU) whack Google, Microsoft and Amazon.
Nation States are the ultimate protection rackets. They like to take a cut from the protection rackets(monopoly incomes) from the little guys.
This is just doin' good business.
Nothin' personal.
BJ, second comment, yes, exactly.
The EU know that however they frame legislation, the Big Guys will weasel their way round it.
So every few years, they fine them a few hundred million Euros on some trumped up charge, they haggle behind the scenes, cough up and move on with their lives.
It;s not the best kind of taxation, but it's certainly not the worst.
The USA does exactly the same.
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