German watchdog seeks publisher input as Google looks to resolve news stand-off
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Germany's Federal Cartel Office is reaching out to the publishing industry to evaluate an offer from Google (GOOG
+1.3%, GOOGL
+1.5%) to extract Google News Showcase results from its general search in the country.

That's the latest development in a running saga over Google's relationships with publishers overseas.
The Cartel Office gained new powers that allowed it to regulate Internet companies and said in the summer that it was investigating Google's News Showcase following a complaint. A Jan. 5 decision makes Google subject to special competition abuse control.
The Office is concerned over whether integrating News Showcase into Google's general search would favor Google unfairly, or hinder competing offers.
It's reached out to Corint Media, whose complaint launched the summer inquiry, as well as other German publishers to evaluate Google's offer. And it says the conditions for participation in Google's Showcase wouldn't impede publisher's ability to assert their general ancillary copyright (which compels payment for use of news).