Google Wins Appeal Against €1.49 Billion EU Antitrust Fine
Major Legal Victory for Alphabet
In a momentous legal triumph for Alphabet, Google has successfully overturned a €1.49 billion ($1.66 billion) antitrust fine imposed by the European Commission in 2019. The Luxembourg-based General Court nullified the penalty, stating that the European Union’s competition watchdog had not fully considered the circumstances surrounding the duration of Google’s AdSense contracts. These contracts, active from 2006 to 2016, restricted websites from using rival search advertising platforms, which were found to be anti-competitive.
Court’s Ruling on Google’s AdSense Contracts
While the court concurred with most of the Commission’s findings, it deemed the €1.49 billion fine unwarranted due to insufficient evaluation of Google’s contractual obligations. This fine was part of a trio of penalties against Google, totaling €8.25 billion, following complaints from Microsoft in 2010 that triggered investigations. Notably, Google had already made contractual changes by 2016, before the Commission’s ruling.
Contrasting Outcomes in Legal Battles
This victory comes shortly after Google faced a setback, losing an appeal regarding a separate €2.42 billion fine for unfairly granting its price comparison service advantages over smaller European competitors. These contrasting outcomes underscore the ongoing tension and uncertainty in the tech giant’s regulatory battles with the European Union.