Allen & Overy (A&O) has been called in alongside Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton to defend Google as the internet giant faces complaints of anticompetitive behaviour from the European Commission.

The commission yesterday accused the search engine of abusing its dominant position in internet search to steer European consumers to its own in-house shopping service. 

Google now has 10 weeks to respond to these allegations and the right to seek a formal hearing.