Google loses appeal over €2.42 billion EU fine
The European Court of Justice upheld the European Commission’s decision, emphasising that while having a dominant market position is not illegal, its abusive exploitation is.
Google has lost its appeal against a €2.42 billion fine imposed by the EU over antitrust violations. The European Commission initially penalised Google in 2017 for giving its price comparison service an unfair advantage over smaller competitors. Despite challenging the decision, the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the EU upheld the ruling, emphasising that while dominance is not illegal, its abuse to hinder competition is prohibited.
The fine is part of a larger pattern for Google, which has faced fines totalling €8.25 billion over the last decade for various antitrust violations. Two additional cases involving Google’s Android system and AdSense are still pending decision. At the same time, a separate investigation threatens to force the tech giant to sell off part of its advertising technology.
The ruling highlights the EU’s firm stance on competition as regulators continue to scrutinise the practices of dominant tech companies like Google.
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