By Tom Fairless
BRUSSELS--The European Union unveiled a signature plan to unite
the region's fragmented online markets and crack down on possible
abuses by U.S. Internet firms, a move policy makers hope will boost
the economy and help spawn Internet giants to rival Google Inc. and
Facebook Inc.
The plans, six months in the making, are a cornerstone of
efforts by the EU's recently appointed executive arm to jump-start
growth. They contain 16 initiatives ranging from an overhaul of the
region's telecommunications rules to harmonized copyright and tax
regimes to cybersecurity and even better parcel delivery.
Crucially, the plans call for several major inquiries into
possible abuses by U.S.-based Web companies. These include a
"comprehensive analysis" into the role of online platforms such as
search engines and price comparison websites amid concerns around
their market power, and a previously signaled probe by antitrust
regulators into whether Internet commerce firms, like Amazon.com,
are restricting cross-border trade.
Technology firms cautioned against heavy-handed new rules that
could constrain Europe's ability to attract technology companies
and to develop its own.
"Brussels appears poised to put government officials in charge
of how hugely popular online services are designed and
implemented," without any evidence that they are harming consumers,
said Dean Garfield, president of the Information Technology
Industry Council, a lobby group.
At the heart of the project is a determination to fight back
against the dominance of the Web by U.S.-based companies. Top EU
officials have warned that European firms are lagging behind in a
critical sector that is squeezing traditional industries one after
the other.
Write to Tom Fairless at tom.fairless@wsj.com
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