EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager signals decision on Google Adsense investigation

European competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager has said regulators are close to releasing findings against Google, which could see the tech giant hit with another record-breaking fine.

The investigation is the third of its kind into Google and its parent firm Alphabet by the antitrust watchdog in recent years, after the firm was fined €4.3bn (£3.8bn) earlier this year over market dominance of its Android operating software.

Alphabet was similarly fined €2.4bn in 2017 as part of the commission's first investigation, after Google was found to be depressing the results of rivals on its shopping comparison tool.

This current case was opened against the US search behemoth in 2016, as Google stands accused of preventing third parties which pay for its Adsense product from using similar products by rival companies.

Vestager today told reporters in Lisbon that the commission is "approaching the end of that investigation", signalling a decision is near.

If found guilty, the watchdog has the power to fine companies up to 10 per cent of global annual turnover. In Alphabet's case, this could reach up to $11bn (£8.4bn).

Google has denied all charges, and is in the process of an appeal against July's Android fine.