Ad rivals whimper: Hey Commish, we've 'ad it up to here with ad giant Google

File a formal complaint guys, or move on

There’s seemingly no let up in Google’s European antitrust woes, as yet another new possible battlefront opens.

Advertising competitors OpenX and AppNexus have complained whinged to the European Commission that the Chocolate Factory is using unfair contracts to stop customers employing rivals services (erm, hmmm, theirs supposedly).

However, as confirmed by the Commish on Wednesday, no formal complaint has been received.

Companies can beg all they want to Brussels' competition watchdog but without a formal complaint, the Commission is not obliged to do anything. One source told El Reg that the EC was “aware of the issues raised”.

The Commission is already bogged down in a search-based Google antitrust case (dragging on for just the five years now), as well as a probe into the Android operating system, and may be unwilling to open yet another avenue of investigation.

However, the search case is likely to end – possibly with a fine – in the coming months.

According to the Financial Times, OpenX and AppNexus reps have visited the European Commission in recent months to plead their case.

According to AppNexus, which is partly owned by Microsoft, “advertising is the lifeblood of the internet". So presumably it will fight tooth and nail to hang on to its share. ®