Commission talks with Google, Facebook and Bing on PR advertising

17.4.2019

Question for written answer E-001933-19
to the Commission
Rule 130
Rupert Matthews (ECR)

There have been allegations that in the course of the Commission’s investigations into Google, Facebook and Microsoft Bing, the subject of EU PR advertising arose via those media, and that the end arrangement (including levels of fines imposed) accommodated the delivery of EU interests and its corporate PR brand marketing.

In the interests of transparency, can the Commission confirm that the subject of EU messaging did not arise at any stage? If it did arise, on what basis was it discussed? What is the current level of support and cost/cost-equivalent provided by the companies concerned to the EU’s messaging programme?