European Parliament seeking break-up of Google

Google’s US firm has come under fire from European Parliament with reports suggesting it could be forced to separate its search engine from its commercial services.

According to the Financial Times, two main groups in Parliament (the European People’s Party and the Socialists) are currently attempting to influence the European Commission into introducing laws that will decrease its dominance.

The EC is already investigating Google over an antitrust case; 20 complaints report the titan rigs its search results to its own advantage and abuses its place as an online search giant and figurehead in the adverting business.

Incoming EC digital commissioner Günther Oettinger has suggested imposing a tax to Google for displaying copyright-protected material to create neutral force results.

The ‘break-up’ moot is sponsored by Ramon Tremosa, a Spanish MEP. Tremosa told FT the break-up or unbundling of Google's search engine from its commercial services is a long-term solution, because the commission could not "ask the secret of [Google's] algorithm."

The moot text will be agreed upon early next week.