Court says EC did not establish competition foreclosure or harm.
The General Court of the European Union has overturned a $2.57 billion fine imposed on Google by the European Commission in 2018, ruling that the Commission had failed to prove that the company had abused its dominant position in the online advertising market.
In a press release issued on September 30, 2024, the court stated that the Commission had not sufficiently established that Google’s conduct had prevented competitors from competing effectively, that it significantly stopped new entrants to the market, or that the conduct harmed consumers.
The decision marks a significant victory for Google, which has been facing antitrust scrutiny from regulators around the world, and at least a momentary setback to the EC’s approach to antitrust law enforcement in the digital economy.
The European Commission is reportedly weighing an appeal to the European Court of Justice.
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Other Google-Related Commentary and News from MoginRubin:
Earlier this year, Google was among the world’s leading tech, ecommerce, and social media companies — tagged as “gatekeepers” — required to demonstrate their commitment and plans to end any anticompetitive behaviors in order to comply with the European Commission’s Digital Markets Act. Labeling Google one of the “gatekeepers,”
In January, Google issued a statement saying it had been working hard in advance of the March 7 DMA deadline, testing and rolling out product changes, seeking feedback on changes from the EC and “stakeholders like developers, advertisers and companies who will be affected by them.” Google says that while it supported “many of the DMA’s ambitions around consumer choice and interoperability,” it warned of “difficult trade-offs” that could reduce choices for services in Europe.
Also read:
- Verdict: Epic Games Proved Google Unlawfully Maintained Monopoly Over Android App Sales and Payments by Jonathan Rubin
- Google Maps Wins Early Victory in Maps Antitrust Class Action by Jonathan Rubin
- States Sue to End Google’s Reign as “Monopoly Gatekeeper for the Internet” by Jonathan Rubin
- Google’s $500M Effort to Undermine Microsoft EU Cloud Deal Fails: Bloomberg Reports
- Google, Meta List Efforts to Comply with New EU Law After Smaller Firms Claim No Progress
- Google to Pay $700M to Settle AGs’ Antitrust Case re Play Store Practices
- Six More Platforms Must Show Compliance with EU’s Digital Markets Act
