‘No one is above the law’: Google loses long-running EU antitrust battle

The European Court of Justice upheld the EU's €2.4 billion fine against Google for unfairly promoting its own shopping service over competitors, rejecting Google's appeal. This concludes a lengthy antitrust case. The EU began cracking down on Google in 2017, imposing three multibillion-euro fines for antitrust violations. Google implemented changes to comply with the EU's ruling but appealed the decision. The EU General Court rejected Google's challenge in 2021, and the Court of Justice's advisor recommended dismissing the appeal. Despite Google's disappointment, the court's decision highlights the importance of competition law in digital markets. Google is still appealing other EU antitrust penalties related to Android and AdSense. The EU's actions have inspired worldwide efforts to regulate the tech industry, including the Digital Markets Act. The EU continues to investigate Google's digital advertising business, while US and UK authorities have also raised concerns. Google faces significant pressure over its dominant position in the ad tech industry.