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Competition: Google fined 2.4 billion euros, confirms EU justice

2021-11-10T11:20:19.658Z


The EU court dismissed an appeal by the Californian giant, finding that it had "abused its dominant position by favoring so


New sanction for the Californian giant.

European justice on Wednesday validated a fine of 2.4 billion euros imposed by Brussels on Google for anti-competitive practices in the price comparison market.

The EU court, based in Luxembourg, dismissed an appeal by the American Internet giant, finding that it had "abused its dominant position by favoring its own product comparator over competing comparators".

Google does, however, have the possibility to challenge this decision before the higher court, the Court of Justice of the EU.

Read also Google condemned: what will it change for online advertising?

The fine imposed by the European Commission in June 2017 was at the time a record amount, since exceeded.

This case is one of the three major disputes opened by Brussels against the American giant and which are the subject of long-term legal battles.

The Commission accuses Google of having abused its dominant position in online search to favor its price comparison Google Shopping in 13 European countries.

And ensure it a hegemonic position by making its competitors less visible to consumers.

Google Shopping thus benefited "from a privileged presentation and positioning" while the results of competing comparators were relegated to the search results pages "by means of ranking algorithms," said the court.

Sanctions that curb innovation, according to Google

The investigation was opened in 2010, after complaints filed by rivals such as the American TripAdvisor.

In addition to paying the fine, Google had been asked to remedy the problem under penalty of penalties, even though the legal action was continuing.

The company had to change the display of search results to accommodate competing services.

But the latter remain dissatisfied, still believing themselves to be treated unfairly.

Going to court in September 2017, Google claimed that the EU was “wrong in law, in fact and in economics”.

The Internet giant believes that the sanctions against it have the main effect of restraining innovation, to the detriment of consumers.

“It's a good day for competition in digital markets.

This verdict sends a clear signal that even “Big Tech” companies cannot do what they want.

The rules are the rules, even for Google ”, reacted Markus Ferber, MEP, spokesperson for economic affairs of the EPP Group (right).

Some 8.2 billion euros in fines

According to experts, this decision could encourage Brussels to open new procedures targeting other Google activities, particularly in the field of vacation rentals or job advertisements for similar grievances.

In another case, Google challenged at the end of September in European justice a record fine of 4.3 billion euros imposed in 2018 by Brussels concerning its Android operating system for mobile phones, accused of establishing the supremacy of its search engine and its Chrome browser.

The European Commission also sanctioned Google with a fine of 1.5 billion euros in March 2019 for anti-competitive practices of its advertising network.

In total, the Commission is therefore claiming some 8.2 billion euros from the group, adding the three procedures, which makes it one of the most heavily sanctioned firms.

Source: leparis

All news articles on 2021-11-10

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