Germany: Federal Cartel Office issued preliminary assessment notice in investigation into Google over alleged anticompetitive practices relating to Google Automotive Services (B7-25/22-GAS )

On 21 June 2023, the German Federal Cartel Office sent Google a preliminary assessment notice outlining its concerns regarding Google's practices related to Google Automotive Services (GAS). This notice detailed the Federal Cartel Office's preliminary findings that Google's contractual provisions, such as those restricting the interoperability of GAS services with third-party services and bundling Google Maps, Google Play, and Google Assistant, potentially violated Section 19a(2) of the German Competition Act (GWB).