The two-week extension is the third given to the California tech giant.
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The EC then granted a Google a six-week extension to this deadline until 17 August.
The European Union is investigating claims that Google is manipulating queries made in its search engine to produce results that favour other Google services including its own shopping comparison service.
The charges, officially a Statement of Objections, were filed in April and Google had 10 weeks to respond, which fell in mid-June. “This means that the reply is now due on 31 August”, he said.
“Google requested additional time to reply to the SO”.
“In line with regular follow, the Commission analyzed the explanations for the request. As a result, it has granted an extension allowing Google to fully exercise its rights of defence”.
European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager’s charges in April escalated a five-year investigation that Google has tried to settle three times without success.
The EU’s charges, the first formal complaint against Google by an antitrust regulator, could lead to billions of euros in fines and requirements for the company to change its business practices.
“It has done so by leveraging its unique position in handling the vast majority of all online searches in order to promote its own products – which, as recognised by European anti-trust law, is unlawful”.
“Sending a Statement of Objections does not prejudge the final outcome of the investigation, and we will carefully consider Google’s response before taking any decision on how to proceed”, he said, referring to the document that outlines the charges.
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An academic study from Harvard and Columbia universities, funded by Google’s rival Yelp, has found that Google discriminates against competitors in its search results.
