In a significant ruling, the European Union’s General Court has annulled a 1.49-billion euro ($1.65 billion) fine imposed on Google for abusing its dominance in online advertising.
The court cited “errors in assessment” by the European Commission, stating that it failed to consider all relevant circumstances.
Google welcomed the decision, noting that it had made changes to its ad services in 2016, prior to the EU’s ruling. “We are pleased that the court has recognised errors in the original decision and annulled the fine,” a Google spokesperson said.
This ruling comes as a relief for Google, especially after the EU’s highest court upheld a 2.42 billion euro fine last week for favoring its own comparison shopping service ¹ ². The EU has imposed fines totaling 8.2 billion euros on Google between 2017 and 2019 for antitrust violations.
*Ongoing Legal Battles*
Google is still challenging a 4.3-billion-euro penalty for restricting Android smartphones to boost its search business. The General Court slightly reduced the fine to 4.1 billion euros in 2022 but supported the commission’s argument that Google imposed illegal restrictions.
*New Regulatory Powers*
The EU has armed itself with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) to regulate tech giants like Google. This law provides clear guidelines on what businesses can and cannot do online, aiming to prevent antitrust violations before they occur.
*Google’s Woes in the US*
Google faces antitrust trials in the US, with regulators accusing it of monopolizing ad technology. A US judge recently found Google’s search business to be an illegal monopoly, potentially leading to a breakup ¹.
