New concessions offered by Google may settle a European Union (EU) antitrust investigation over its search dominance by early 2014, the EU competition chief has hinted.
The US based search engine giant had been probed by European Commission for three years over concerns that it was blocking rivals such as Microsoft in web searches.
EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said that Google has now improved the commitments it has offered.
"We have negotiated improvements until yesterday," Almunia said.
"Now, with the significant improvements on the table, I think we have the possibility to work again and seek to find an effective solution based on a decision under Article 9 of the Antitrust Regulation.
"If our investigation on this improved proposal is satisfactory, I will continue the Commitments route and end up with a formal decision next Spring."
Few details have been disclosed about the concessions, the Commission would also seek feedback on Google’s offer from its rivals and stake holders who lodged the complaints.
Google general counsel Kent Walker said that given the feedback the European Commission received on the firm’s first proposal, they have insisted on further, significant changes to the way it displays search results.
"We’ve made the difficult decision to agree to their requirements in the interests of reaching a settlement," Walker said.
In September 2013, Google proposed new concessions, in addition to a package of concessions submitted in April this year.
The EC has been investigating Google since 2010 upon receiving several criticisms from firms including Microsoft, Expedia and TripAdvisor, that it was barring rivals from its search results.
