The EU’s incoming digital policy chief put Google on notice that it faced a potentially more hostile Brussels regime, suggesting that the US group could be forced to be neutral in presenting search results.
Günther Oettinger, Germany’s EU commissioner, intervened hours after the official who has presided over an abortive five-year quest for an antitrust settlement with Google washed his hands of the tortuous saga, and bequeathed it to his successors at the EU’s executive, the European Commission.
Mr Oettinger will not be directly responsible for competition policy, but his willingness to speak out on the deal within hours of being nominated sparked alarm within Google that it is a sign of trouble.