Google Chairman Eric Schmidt: "We Disagree That We Are In Violation"

Since the European Commission identified “four concerns where Google business practices may be considered as abuses of dominance,” Google has apparently been suffering from amnesia. Meanwhile, while speaking at a conference in London, Google’s Chairman Eric Schmidt continued to deny communications with the Commission and the Commissioner Joaquín Almunia.

When asked about the problem, Schmidt said, “We disagree that we are in violation, until they are more precise on what area of the law we are in violation of. Give us the precise data, the precise problem.” Despite the outline of specific concerns in Commissioner Almunia’s statement, Schmidt’s position on the problem remains: “We don’t know what that is.”

He went on to say that “the letter is all we’ve heard from them,” (despite the fact that the Commission announced exactly what allegations it was investigating in November 2010, and there are multiple reports of meetings and discussions between Schmidt and Almunia in 2011).

According to The Register, “Schmidt declined to respond on whether his firm would indeed put forward any ‘remedies’ as requested by Almunia, who was clear that a Statement of Objections could be issued within weeks if Google didn’t play ball.” Schmidt also said that Google was “not aware of anything we’ve done wrong. We’re happy to be educated on the contrary.”

Schmidt’s statements demonstrate that Google has no interest in taking the Commission’s concerns seriously or taking Almunia up on his offer to provide remedies to Google’s abuses of dominance.