The fact that the commission has been seeking fuller [information] from complainants, against short deadlines [of] a couple of days, shows it is in the final stages of getting a statement of objections together, said one Brussels-based lawyer representing a Google rival in the case. Its part of the choreography you always see.The EUs investigation of complaints that Google abuses its dominance of the online search market to hurt rivals began in 2010. Google handles more than 90% of Web searches in Europe, much higher than its share of the U.S. search market.Comparison-shopping sites say that when consumers use Google to search for products online, Google features results from Google Shopping prominently and relegates products from rival sites to positions lower down the search page, where they might not be seen.Experts say the legal hurdles to building an antitrust case in Europe are lower than in the U.S., where antitrust investigators have to prove their case to a judge. In the EU, the commission acts as prosecutor, judge and jury in competition cases. Appeals are heard by EU judges in Luxembourg who have rarely overturned major decisions made by Brussels.If the commission were to file charges, Google would have about three months to make a case that its actions dont violate EU lawor it could propose another settlement that would address the charges. It also could request a hearing to argue its case more fully before the commission. After assessing Googles case, the regulator would issue its final decisionwhich could then be appealed to the Luxembourg courts.If the commission found against Google, it could by law fine the company as much as 10% of its annual revenue, which totaled $66 billion last year.Ms. Vestager has indicated repeatedly that she favors a formal court process to establish a legal precedent. Settlements should not be a habit, and should not be sought at any price, she said at an event in Brussels last month. Citizens and companies should see that we are willing to go to court if that is the right thing to do, she said.Ms. Vestager met a month ago withEric Schmidt,Googles executive chairman. It was the first time she had met with a top Google executive since taking office on Nov. 1.Last week, she indicated that her priority was to ensure that smaller Internet firms could compete with the industrys giants.The latest settlement proposed by Mr. Almunia fell apart following a series of interventions by powerful political players, including a letter from the economy ministers of France and Germany calling for greater concessions from Google, and protests from German publishing houses.