• Reuters, Wednesday, January 18, 2012 12:10 PM

By the end of March, European regulators will reportedly decide whether to file a formal complaint against Google for misuse of its market position. According to Reuters, the move would bring Google's squabble with competitors to a head much sooner than expected. "I will receive comments from the case team towards the end of the first quarter,” EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia told Reuters, this week. “I do not expect anything sooner. Let us see."

As Reuters reminds us, antitrust investigations typically take several years, and, until now, officials had been playing down expectations of an early conclusion to the informal investigation stage. The Commission opened an investigation into Google in November 2010, after rivals, including Microsoft, accused the search giant of abusing its dominant market position.

There are a total of 10 complainants, ranging from British price comparison site Foundem to German association of business listings VfT. The Commission, which can fine companies up to 10% of their global turnover, has previously penalized Microsoft and Intel billions of euros for breaching EU antitrust rules. U.S. regulators are also investigating Google's businesses, which -- as a source recently told Reuters -- includes Google+.

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