CNET: Overture amplifies AOL Europe deal

Overture Services said Wednesday it has expanded its deal to provide pay-for-placement search results for AOL Europe's Web sites, a move that intensifies the company's competition with rival Google.

AOL Europe, a division of media giant AOL Time Warner, will now use Overture's commercial search results in Web directories for its U.K., French and German sites. When people visit the Web directories, which organize sites by topic, Overture will present up to four sponsored links at the top of the page. Overture will also provide three sponsored links on AOL subsidiary Netscape's French and German sites as well.

The deal is an extension of an existing agreement struck in January 2002, under which Overture offers its links in search results pages. Overture's agreement with AOL Europe lasts until 2005.