The opposition companies also suggested the measures may even have the opposite effect than they are intended to, pushing users away from visiting non-Google websites.
According to a report in today’s Financial Times, opponents say that the deal – which is intended to make Google list more of its competitors’ services in its search returns – contains loopholes which will lessen its impact.

Further consessions

Joaquín Almunia, EU competition commissioner, will decide next month whether or not to push Google to make further consessions.
Foundem, a UK shopping comparison company, has complained that rivals will have to pay to be included in new links. Foundem said the paid links are ‘a potentially catastrophic escalation of Google’s abuse, providing a new and immensely powerful anti-competitive tool, which in many cases would hand Google the majority of its rivals’ profits’.