Europe’s top court has upheld a €2.4bn fine against Google for abusing the market dominance of its shopping comparison service, in a landmark ruling that could have far-reaching implications for the tech giant.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) dismissed Google’s appeal against the fine, which was originally imposed by the European Commission in 2017. The Commission found that Google had unfairly promoted its own shopping recommendations over rivals in search results, effectively monopolizing the online price comparison market.
Google expressed disappointment with the ruling but pointed out that it had made changes in 2017 to comply with the Commission’s decision. However, the ECJ affirmed that Google’s conduct was discriminatory and ordered the tech giant to pay the fine and cover the costs incurred by the European Commission.
The case, which was first brought by British firm Foundem in 2009, has been closely watched by industry insiders as it sheds light on the direction of many other antitrust cases Google is facing in Europe. The search giant has already amassed fines totaling €8.2bn from the Commission for various anticompetitive practices.
In addition to the shopping comparison fine, Google has been fined for using Android software to promote its own apps and for blocking adverts from rival search engines. The EU is also investigating whether Google preferences its own goods and services in search results, which could result in further penalties.
The ruling comes amidst a broader clash between the EU and big tech companies, with the ECJ also ordering Apple to pay back €13bn in unpaid taxes to Ireland in a separate judgement. As Google continues to face legal challenges, the outcome of this case could set a precedent for future antitrust actions against tech giants in Europe.
