EU to slap Google with record-breaking fine of more than $1.2 bn: Report

The European Union is slated to announce on Tuesday the imposition of a record-breaking fine of more than 1.1 billion euros, or nearly $1.2 billion, on Google for abusing its monopoly over internet search, media reported.

Google has been accused of manipulating its search engine results to favour its new shopping service at the expense of smaller price-comparison websites.

The penalty would eclipse the previous 1.1 billion euros record fine Intel was forced to pay in 2009 and the EU might also demand that Google make changes to its search results so that it was not seen to favour its own service, telegraph.co.uk reported.

The investigation dates back to 2010, and was triggered by complaints from other price-comparison websites that said Google had relegated their services in its search results.

Google has a 90 per cent share of internet searches in Europe, giving it a powerful tool to direct how internet users navigate the web.

According to Google, its entry into online shopping space has been good for consumers and retailers, and argues that it was not a monopoly player in online shopping.

Google was also fighting two other competition cases with the Commission that could see it hit with heavy fines.

European regulators have in the past investigated Microsoft, Intel, Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon, raising claims that Brussels was waging a war against the Silicon Valley, but the claim has been denied by the Commission.