European Union regulators cleared Google Inc.’s $3.1 billion bid for online ad tracker DoubleClick, saying the deal will not hurt competition for online ads.

Critics have complained the deal would give Google too much power.

But the European Commission said Tuesday it found no proof that Google and DoubleClick would be able to squeeze out competitors. That is because Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL provided “credible” alternatives for placing ads on Web sites.

The commission says Google and DoubleClick are not currently rivals. It says Google’s purchase even of a potential competitor would not hurt competition in the online ad market.