Brussels reaches legal limits on Google antitrust settlement

Google’s draft antitrust deal with European regulators reaches the limits of what is allowed in European Union law, according to a German policy paper highlighting the constraints on European politicians railing against US tech groups.

A 42-page internal review by Germany’s competition authority offers a cautious assessment for ministers seeking legal means to curb the clout of US internet companies and safeguard consumer data. The Bundeskartellamt offers qualified support for the European Commission’s heavily criticised probe into whether the US group rigs search results to divert traffic from rivals. It argues that Google’s draft EU settlement is a “suitable approach to counter the barriers to competitors” and says the commission went as far as is possible under existing EU competition law. The paper offers some legislative options -- at both national and EU level -- to toughen antitrust law and reinforce the Brussels’ draft pact, but warns that steps to break up Google and “unbundle” services would be harmful and misplaced.