Google may be trying to settle its dispute with the European Union over antitrust allegations, but the prospects for a deal may not be as rosy as initially seemed.
During a committee meeting with the European Parliament, European Union Competition Commissioner Joaquín Almunia said that it's likely he's going to respond to Google;s proposal with requests for further concessions.
If Google refuses to go along with the EU's requests, the company could face formal charges for disobeying the group's competition laws.
While many still expect Google and the EU to settle their dispute, Almunia's remarks demonstrate that said settlement is far from a sure thing, and that the two parties still have significant issues to resolve.
"After we have analyzed the responses we have received, we will ask Google, probably, I cannot anticipate this formally, but almost 100 percent, we will ask Google: You should improve your proposals," Almunia said, according to the New York Times, "
Google is being charged with the accusation that it unfairly prioritizes its own services in its results over competitors. If the companies that filed the original complaint - which includes the likes of Microsoft - feel that the EU failed to do everything it could to force Google into concessions, they could decide to sue the EU commission at the General Court of the European Court of Justice.
Of course, that process could take multiple years to unfold, which is why both the EU and Google would naturally like to reach a settlement.
So far, Google's proposals include separating its own services from the rest of the field, and ensuring that results from competing services get displayed.
Some of Google's critics, however, say these proposals aren't nearly enough. Shivaun Raff, the co-founder of British online shopping site Foundem, had this to say about it:
"Google's proposals are so far removed from anything that could solve the commission's concerns that we can see no reasonable alternative for the commission other than to reject the proposals, issue its statement of objections, and insist on remedies that will end, rather than escalate, the abusive practices it has identified."
If a settlement is reached, Google could still potentially face a fine of about $50 billion, but that would be a lot better than suffering through a protracted legal dispute with an uncertain ending.
