The European Justice confirms the fine of 2.42 billion imposed on Google for abuse of a dominant position

The General Court of the European Union (TEU) has confirmed this Wednesday the fine of 2.42 billion euros imposed by the European Commission on the technology multinational Google for abuse of a dominant position through its price comparison service, Google Shopping.

Specifically, the Luxembourg court has dismissed the appeal that the company had filed for the sanction adopted in 2017. The sentence known this Wednesday is, however, actionable before the Court of Justice, the highest instance of European Justice.

The European Justice ratifies in this way one of the three fines imposed on the technology multinational by the European Commission. Google also raised means, still pending judgment, against the sanction of 4340 million for Android and against the fine of 1.5 billion for AdSense.

In this Wednesday’s ruling, the European judges first acknowledge the “anti-competitive nature” in Google’s way of acting with respect to its price comparison service.

The dominant position, they explain, is not in itself an aspect of “criticism”, but favoring the position of Google Shopping to the detriment of its competitors violates the principle of “competition on merits”.

The General Court confirms the amount of the fine imposed by Brussels. Among the reasons it provides to justify this decision, the judges highlight the “particularly serious” nature of the offense and the fact that the conduct was carried out in a “deliberate, not negligent” manner.

After knowing the sentence, Google has issued a statement in which it indicates that it will study the ruling “in great detail”, although it does not specifically clarify whether it will appeal it to the Court of Justice of the EU.