Google changes trademark ad policy in Europe

Google is set to allow advertisers in Europe to use rivals' trademarks when bidding for online ads in a move that will prevent big brand owners from controlling which ads appear during users' searches. The change will take effect on September 14 in most European nations.

It brings Europe into line with how Google works in the United States, Britain and about 200 other countries. Google made the change in response to a European Court of Justice decision in March that ruled that it did not infringe trademark law by selling keywords to trigger ads.