Competition authorities have been hesitant to use structural remedies in the recent past. This background paper documents that breakups are a perfectly feasible instrument of competition policy, with a track record of effectively tackling competition concerns.
US tech companies are doing everything they can to undermine the enforcement of European laws. The EU must not allow itself to be intimidated by this. On the contrary. The European Commission must act decisively now and set the course.
The EU Commission is demanding that Google take action against its conflicts of interest. A break up remains on the table. The next few months will decide whether the EU will finally take action in the tense political climate.
The EU must limit the power of tech companies. It must not give in to Trump’s attacks on the EU’s digital laws. This is what we and over 50 alliance partners are calling for in a letter to von der Leyen. It is a problematic sign that the EU Commission is postponing a decision because of Google’s monopoly power.
A large majority of the French, German and Spanish public are in favour of the EU taking a tough stance on Big Tech, despite the risks to relations with the Trump administration. There is also support for breaking up Google.
Guest article by Dr. Silvia Weko.
Amazon has grown rapidly in recent decades. The original online bookseller has expanded its business to include logistics, AI, robotics and cloud services. Now Amazon is also making inroads into the energy sector. What does this mean for the energy transition and the power of big tech companies?
On May 29, the Minister of State for Culture, Wolfram Weimer, proposed a 10% advertising levy based on the Austrian model. We welcome this proposal. After all, digital companies continue to pay significantly lower taxes than other companies (9.5% instead of 23.3% according to a recent CEPS report).
No tech company should have the kind of monopoly power that Google has in search engines or online advertising. The EU Commission should force Google to sell parts of its group in order to curb its monopoly power. Sign now!
What does it actually take for alternatives to big tech offerings to prevail – and remain different? Aline Blankertz and Svea Windwehr explored this question in the TechREG Chronicle of Competition Policy International.
Progress is being made in several proceedings in the USA that could lead to a break-up of big tech companies. In addition to a possible sale of Google’s powerful advertising platforms, a sale of the Chrome browser is also on the table in the Google search proceedings. And proceedings are also underway regarding Meta, which could end in the sale of Instagram and WhatsApp. Where do the proceedings stand, what could happen next and what does this mean for digital markets?
