Google antitrust EU/ €2.4 billion fine/ Google Shopping case/ EU competition law/ Google appeal denied/ Newslooks/ LONDON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Google has lost its final appeal in a European Union antitrust case, confirming a €2.4 billion fine for unfairly promoting its own shopping service over rivals in search results. The EU Court of Justice upheld the ruling, marking a significant blow to Google’s legal efforts against multiple EU-imposed penalties. Google now faces ongoing scrutiny over its practices in digital advertising and mobile operating systems.
Google’s Final Appeal in EU Antitrust Case Denied – Quick Looks
- Final Ruling: EU Court of Justice upholds €2.4 billion fine on Google.
- Antitrust Violation: Google penalized for unfairly prioritizing its shopping service.
- Google’s Response: Claims compliance since 2017; disappointed by decision.
- Ongoing Scrutiny: Google faces other EU penalties and U.S. antitrust trial.
Google Must Pay €2.4B Antitrust Fine After Final EU Ruling
Deep Look
In a decisive conclusion to a seven-year antitrust case, Google has lost its final appeal against a €2.4 billion ($2.7 billion) fine imposed by the European Union for prioritizing its own shopping service over competitors in search results. The European Union’s Court of Justice upheld the ruling on Tuesday, affirming the original penalty imposed by the European Commission in 2017.
The landmark ruling represents a significant chapter in the EU’s regulatory push to address anticompetitive practices by Big Tech companies. “By today’s judgment, the Court of Justice dismisses the appeal and thus upholds the judgment of the General Court,” the EU’s Court of Justice announced, effectively ending Google’s legal recourse in the case.
The 2017 penalty stemmed from Google’s practice of directing search traffic to its own shopping service at the expense of rivals. The European Commission, the EU’s top competition authority, argued that this behavior distorted the online shopping marketplace by limiting consumer access to competitive pricing and alternative product options. The case marked the first of three substantial antitrust fines the European Commission levied on Google over the last decade.
Google responded with disappointment, emphasizing that it had modified its shopping service to comply with EU directives. “This decision relates to a very specific set of facts,” Google stated. Since 2017, Google has implemented auctions for shopping search listings, allowing third-party comparison shopping services to bid on placement alongside Google Shopping. The company reports that these changes have increased traffic for over 800 comparison shopping services, generating billions of user clicks.
Consumer advocates and regulatory bodies viewed the court’s decision as a win for fair competition. Agustín Reyna, director general of European consumer group BEUC, commented that Google’s practices harmed millions of European consumers by making it harder for them to access potential discounts and diverse product information from other shopping services. “Google’s illegal practices prevented consumers from accessing potentially cheaper prices and useful product information from rival comparison shopping services,” Reyna added.
The upheld ruling is one of three major cases Google faces in Europe. The tech giant is also appealing penalties for alleged anti-competitive practices related to its Android mobile operating system and AdSense advertising platform. Last year, the EU General Court upheld a record €4.125 billion fine in the Android case, and Google’s appeal on a €1.49 billion fine in the AdSense case is still pending.
These EU rulings have set a regulatory precedent, emboldening global authorities in their oversight of the tech industry. Since the initial cases against Google, the EU has ramped up investigations into other major tech players and enacted new laws targeting social media oversight and artificial intelligence governance.
Google’s challenges extend beyond Europe. In the United States, the Department of Justice recently launched a federal antitrust trial, accusing Google of monopolistic practices in digital advertising, which generates substantial revenue for the company. British regulators joined the scrutiny last week, claiming Google abused its dominance in ad tech—a view echoed by the EU’s own ongoing investigation into the company’s ad business.
With global regulators zeroing in on Big Tech’s influence in digital markets, the EU’s ruling signals a strong stance on competition law enforcement. For Google, the implications of these decisions will likely influence not only its operations in Europe but also its strategies worldwide as it navigates escalating regulatory pressures.
