The German Competition Authority Publishes a Press Release on Improvements for Publishers Using Google News Showcase

On December 21, 2022, the German Competition Authority (“Bundeskartellamt”) published on its official website news regarding improvements for publishers using Google News Showcase.

The Bundeskartellamt has concluded its proceeding against Google/Alphabet regarding the “Google News Showcase” online news service after Google made several important adjustments to the benefit of publishers.

The proceeding initiated in June 2021 was mainly based on the Bundeskartellamt’s new competencies under the provisions for large digital companies (Section 19a of the German Competition Act, GWB), which were introduced in early 2021.

In December 2021, the Bundeskartellamt had already decided that Alphabet Inc., Mountain View, USA, and therefore also its subsidiary Google, is subject to extended abuse control.

Following the Bundeskartellamt’s intervention, Google clarified that Showcase partners will also still be able to have their ancillary copyright collectively asserted by a collecting society.

Google will implement further measures in the next few weeks.  The company is thus working towards providing non-discriminatory access to the platform. The details of this access are subject to media supervision under the German State Media Treaty.

• Dispute about adequate remuneration for the publishers:

Within the context of the proceeding under competition law on Google News Showcase, the collecting society Corint Media and three associations of publishers have made further complaints against Google. These accusations mainly referred to the issue of adequate remuneration for published content used by Google (ancillary copyright for press publishers). With reference to the prohibition of discrimination, the Authority already achieved that Google offered to pay Corint Media ancillary copyright fees the level of which at least matched the fees payable under the licensing agreements concluded between Google and individual publishers.

You can reach further information here.

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Zumbul Attorneys at Law

info@zumbul.av.tr