Travel technology companies are pushing for the European Commission to address Google’s practice of serving up its own services in general search.
In a letter to Margrethe Vestager, commissioner for competition, 130 companies and 28 industry organizations, across numerous sectors, ask the Commission to “enforce its 2017 abuse of dominance decision.”
The letter says that Google does not compete fairly in search and has not achieved by “competing on the merits.”
“There is now global consensus that Google gained unjustified advantages through preferentially treating its own services within its general search results pages.”
The letter goes on to say that although the forthcoming proposals on the regulation of digital gatekeepers may help longer term, the Commission should act now, using the existing framework, to address the situation.
“Many of us may not have the strength and resources to wait until such regulation really takes effect.”
The signatories include legal representatives from travel companies including Agoda, Awaze, Booking.com, eDreams Odigeo and Expedia.
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Conspicuous by their absence on the global distribution companies but, according to EU Travel Tech, which is also a signatory, the Google issues are “less of a direct concern to them.” The organization adds that as members the GDSs, except Sabre which withdrew its membership 18 months ago, are “fully subscribing” to the contents of the letter.
In the summer, EU Travel Tech supported a plea to both Google and Facebook to help the French tourism industry.
The plea followed similar calls for help from Google from other elements of the travel industry.
Google is coming under increased scrutiny from lawmakers across the globe with the U.S. Justice Department filing its antitrust suit last month.