Alphabet’s Pichai to hold video call with EU antitrust chief January 25

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Alphabet Chief Executive Sundar Pichai will hold a video-conference call with EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager on Jan. 25, according to a European Commission schedule published on Friday.

Vestager, who is pushing for tough new rules to rein in U.S. tech giants Google, Facebook, Apple and Amazon, will discuss digital and competition issues with Pichai, a Commission spokeswoman said.

Vestager’s proposed tech rules, announced last month, have set off a flurry of lobbying by the tech industry seeking to water down the proposals.

Companies have now shifted their attention to EU lawmakers and EU countries, which together with the Commission will thrash out the new rules before they come into force.

Pichai has previously held video-conference calls with EU industry chief Thierry Breton, who is championing the bloc’s strategic autonomy and independence from U.S. tech giants in various areas.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)