EU wants Google to stop anti-competitive practices

Brussels

EUROPEAN Union antitrust regulators plan to order Alphabet's Google to stop paying financial incentives to smartphone makers to pre-install Google Search exclusively on their devices and warned the company of a large fine, an EU document showed.

The document, running to more than 150 pages, was sent to complainants last month for feedback. Google received a copy in April in which the European Commission accused it of using its dominant Android mobile operating system to shut out rivals.

The EU competition enforcer in its charge sheet, known as a statement of objections, said it planned to tell the US technology giant to halt payments or discounts to mobile phone manufacturers in return for pre-installing Google's Play Store with Google Searc…