James Delahunty
29 Jun 2011 0:58
1plusV sued the U.S.-based web search giant for €295 million, or about $418 million.
The lawsuit comes as the European Commission is probing Google for alleged anti-competitive practices. Google has been accused by several companies (including Microsoft) of abusing its dominant position by giving preferences to its own services at the expense of potential rivals in its search results.
In the United States, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also formally notified Google that it has opened an investigation into its business practices. 1plusV, which operates the ejustice.fr legal website, filed its claim with the Paris Commercial court on Tuesday.
"Between 2007 and 2010, no less than 30 vertical search engines created by 1plusV were blacklisted, some of which showed significant business potential," the complaint reads.
Google has not commented specifically about the case, only confirming that it just received the complaint itself.
British price comparison site Foundem, along with Microsoft, German price comparison service Ciao and 1plusV really kicked off the complaints against Google's practices in Europe.
"If that company were to win, it will set a very negative precedent for Google," said BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis. "If it becomes a trend where it's not just government penalties but lost profits from competitors, that adds up quick."