The deal is canned, but the Commission is has not given up on the issue.

Almunia's financial records should be monitored for the next decade. His hammering out such a sweet deal for Google left many with the impression he was paid off.

Almunia's financial records should be monitored for the next decade. His hammering out such a sweet deal for Google left many with the impression he was paid off.

I couldn't possibly comment. 'Bizarre' would be a fair description of it.

To me, the strangest thing about the whole mess is the EU's willingness to let big-money lobbyists from Microsoft, Oracle, etc. have so much influence over the terms of the settlement. The interests of consumers (a.k.a. citizens of the EU) seem to have been ignored.

The interests of consumers (a.k.a. citizens of the EU) seem to have been ignored.

It is in the interests of consumers that no one company abuses a monopoly position, thus squeezing out competition. For once these big corporations are acting for the benefit of consumers in opposing what some people describe as a disgraceful carve-up, but the rest of us, of course, consider to be a properly conducted negotiated proposed settlement. No doubt whatsoever about it and perish the thought.

Whether the said big corporations are altruistically working solely for the public good is a different matter.