Yes a google phone is probably best from a privacy perspective, as you have full control over the phone, but AFAIK if you buy a pure Samsung, or other brand, phone, without "carrier customization", you're also free of this shit. It's the (US?) carriers that push this trojan on it.

Feel free to prove me wrong though...

I would be very interested to know if this is in use outside the US (specifically, inside the EU).

Looks like a serious breach of data protection directives:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Protection_Directive

Personally identifiable, highly personal information gathered by a third party without permission, let alone notification.

I have an European Orange-branded HTC Desire S and I see no Carrier IQ related tasks in my task manager.