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| Google boss to meet EU antitrust chief in Brussels | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Google’s chief executive will meet senior EU officials in Brussels on Thursday, as the internet search company faces mounting questions over alleged anti-competitive practices and a controversial “sweetheart” tax deal with the British government. | Google’s chief executive will meet senior EU officials in Brussels on Thursday, as the internet search company faces mounting questions over alleged anti-competitive practices and a controversial “sweetheart” tax deal with the British government. |
| Sundar Pichai will meet the EU’s powerful competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, who is presiding over several antitrust investigations into the company. | Sundar Pichai will meet the EU’s powerful competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, who is presiding over several antitrust investigations into the company. |
| Pichai will also hold talks with Günther Oettinger, the European commissioner in charge of EU digital policy, as well as Martin Selmayr, the influential chief of staff for European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. | Pichai will also hold talks with Günther Oettinger, the European commissioner in charge of EU digital policy, as well as Martin Selmayr, the influential chief of staff for European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. |
| A spokesman for Google confirmed the meetings would take place and said Pichai would discuss “competition matters” with commissioner Vestager. | A spokesman for Google confirmed the meetings would take place and said Pichai would discuss “competition matters” with commissioner Vestager. |
| The meeting with commissioner Oettinger, who met Pichai on a visit to Silicon Valley last year, will focus on tech skills and jobs as well as the digital single market, an EU plan to tear down national barriers to internet companies. | The meeting with commissioner Oettinger, who met Pichai on a visit to Silicon Valley last year, will focus on tech skills and jobs as well as the digital single market, an EU plan to tear down national barriers to internet companies. |
| The Google spokesman declined to give further details; the European commission declined to comment, beyond confirming the meetings would take place. | The Google spokesman declined to give further details; the European commission declined to comment, beyond confirming the meetings would take place. |
| The meeting with Vestager is certain to generate the most interest, as the Danish commissioner has several antitrust investigations into the search company under way. | The meeting with Vestager is certain to generate the most interest, as the Danish commissioner has several antitrust investigations into the search company under way. |
| Last April the commission accused Google of cheating competitors by distorting internet search results. After a five-year preliminary inquiry, the commission found Google gave priority to its own comparison-shopping service, diverting searches away from rivals. The commission also opened an investigation into Google’s Android system, which is used in 80% of smartphones worldwide. | Last April the commission accused Google of cheating competitors by distorting internet search results. After a five-year preliminary inquiry, the commission found Google gave priority to its own comparison-shopping service, diverting searches away from rivals. The commission also opened an investigation into Google’s Android system, which is used in 80% of smartphones worldwide. |
| In its defence, Google argues that Android has lowered prices and increased choice for consumers; it contends that it faces “a ton of competition” from internet companies while rival travel sites, such as Expedia and TripAdvisor, are “thriving”. | In its defence, Google argues that Android has lowered prices and increased choice for consumers; it contends that it faces “a ton of competition” from internet companies while rival travel sites, such as Expedia and TripAdvisor, are “thriving”. |
| Bloomberg reported this week that the commission was reviving an investigation into Google’s advertising practices, including a $1bn payment to Apple to keep the Google search bar on its smartphones. The commission declined to comment. | Bloomberg reported this week that the commission was reviving an investigation into Google’s advertising practices, including a $1bn payment to Apple to keep the Google search bar on its smartphones. The commission declined to comment. |
| More recently, Vestager said she was ready to investigate the £130m tax deal Google’s parent company made with UK tax authorities, after a raft of complaints, including a rebuke from France’s finance minister that the deal with HMRC looked more like a negotiated settlement than the application of the law. | More recently, Vestager said she was ready to investigate the £130m tax deal Google’s parent company made with UK tax authorities, after a raft of complaints, including a rebuke from France’s finance minister that the deal with HMRC looked more like a negotiated settlement than the application of the law. |
| Vestager said “sweetheart deals” between member states and companies were unfair and could amount to illegal state aid. Following a letter to the commission from the Scottish National party calling for an EU inquiry, she said the commission could examine the case, although so far EU officials have yet to announce a formal investigation. | Vestager said “sweetheart deals” between member states and companies were unfair and could amount to illegal state aid. Following a letter to the commission from the Scottish National party calling for an EU inquiry, she said the commission could examine the case, although so far EU officials have yet to announce a formal investigation. |
| Pichai is the latest Silicon Valley chief executive to make the journey to Brussels, following in the footsteps of Apple’s Tim Cook, who made a surprise visit to EU headquarters in January before a decision by the commission on the company’s tax arrangements with Ireland. | Pichai is the latest Silicon Valley chief executive to make the journey to Brussels, following in the footsteps of Apple’s Tim Cook, who made a surprise visit to EU headquarters in January before a decision by the commission on the company’s tax arrangements with Ireland. |
| Pichai became Google chief in October 2015, after its reorganisation into holding company Alphabet. Known as the man behind Google’s most important products, he soon became the highest-paid CEO in the US. | Pichai became Google chief in October 2015, after its reorganisation into holding company Alphabet. Known as the man behind Google’s most important products, he soon became the highest-paid CEO in the US. |
| An $199m (£143m) share award to Pichai revealed this month was worth more than the £130m the company agreed to pay in back taxes since 2005 to the British government. | An $199m (£143m) share award to Pichai revealed this month was worth more than the £130m the company agreed to pay in back taxes since 2005 to the British government. |