EU Considers Probe of Google Tax Deal

LONDON (AP) -- The European Union's competition commissioner says she would consider investigating the 130 million pound ($186 million) deal for back taxes struck between Britain and Google amid fury among opposition lawmakers who suggest the Internet giant should have paid more.

Margrethe Vestager told BBC on Thursday it was too soon to say whether a probe would be launched. She said the EU "will take a look" if appropriate concerns are brought to her attention.

The Scottish National Party in the U.K. asked for such an investigation.

Vestager's spokesman, Ricardo Cardoso said later that "we will look into it and then decide where to move from there."

Writing in the Financial Times, Google's vice president of communications Peter Barron, insisted the company paid tax at the standard corporate rate of 20 percent.

(KA)