EU Antitrust Chief Sets the Clock on Google Talks

Google has until the beginning of next month to indicate to the European Union's top antitrust official that it is willing to negotiate remedies to allegations of anti-competitive business practices, or else face a formal complaint and possible fines. If negotiations don't yield an acceptable remedy, "formal proceedings will continue through the adoption of a Statement of Objections," said E.U. Competition Commissioner Joaquín Almunia, in a speech at a legal conference in St. Gallen, Switzerland. "I want to give the company the opportunity to offer remedy proposals that would avoid lengthy proceedings," Almunia said. "By early July, I expect to receive from Google concrete signs of their willingness to explore this route."