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Russian antimonopoly service does not rule out deal with Google

The service expects Google to ask some time before the court session, which may be used to sign a deal

MOSCOW, June 8. /TASS/. The Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) does not rule out a settlement agreement with Google, Igor Artemyev said on Wednesday.

"I think Google may request extra time [for preparation to court session - TASS] in order to be prepared better but probably in order to make settlement with us," Artemyev said.

FAS is ready to reduce the fine if Google recognizes violation and fulfils the improvement notice, Artemyev said. At the same time, the company may be thinking about the settlement agreement, the head of FAS said.

"If it is so, then this is a good option," he added.

The Ninth Arbitration Court of Appeal postponed consideration of the case between FAS and Google until June 30 and made a decision to hold a closed trial.

In March 2016, FAS initiated administrative proceedings against Google to determine the amount of fine under part 2 article 14.31 of the Russian Code of Administrative Offences. According to the article, in view of the abuse of dominant position on the market of operating systems for mobile devices in Russia, Google as the owner of the Android OS can pay a fine ranging from 1% to 15% of its revenues on the Russian market in 2014.

On September 14, 2015, the Federal Antimonopoly Service ruled that Google Inc. and Google Ireland Ltd. had breached the competition protection law under the complaint of the Russian Internet company Yandex. According to the regulator, Google obliged manufacturers of Android OS-based devices to pre-install its applications together with Android platform. FAS said that Google’s policy restricted installation of applications by other developers. Google did not agree with the ruling and appealed to the court.

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