European justice maintains firm fine of US $ 2,800 million from the EU to Google

The General Court of the European Union (EU) upheld a fine of more than 2.4 billion euros (about US $ 2.8 billion) to the technology giant Google for abuse of a dominant position in its online price comparison services.

That court rejected an appeal presented by Google to the sanction that had been applied to it by the antitrust authority of the European Commission in 2017, and which at the time constituted an unprecedented amount in the block.

The case focused on the price comparison mechanism of Google, in which it favored its own tool -Google Shopping- over other firms in the presentation of the results, thereby violating European competition regulations.

Thus, the General Court recognized the “anti-competitive nature“Of that practice, he considered that it produced”damaging effects”In the marketplace and rejected Google’s arguments to justify its conduct.

Therefore, the Court “concludes its analysis considering that the value of the pecuniary fine imposed on Google must be confirmed“Said the institution in a statement.

The appeal to the fine had been filed by Google and a partner company, Alphabet.

Without leaving any doubts, the Court reported that it ruled out “most of the action presented by the two companies, and maintains the fine imposed by the European Commission ”.

For its part, a spokesman for Google’s European division pointed out in a brief statement that “I would check carefully”The ruling of this Wednesday.

The firm recalled that it had introduced changes to the price comparison mechanism “in 2017 to comply with the decision of the European Commission. Our approach has worked successfully for more than three years. “

Faced with this determination, Google now has only one appeal before the highest European court, the Court of Justice of the EU, also based in Luxembourg.

For the European Commission, the verdict “it is a clear message that Google’s conduct was illegal, and provides necessary legal clarity to the market. “

The Commission “will continue to use all the tools at its disposal to address the role of large digital platforms”He added in a note.

Important victory for Brussels

The European Consumers Organization (BEUC) network welcomed the decision of the General Court of the EU.

Monique Govons, director of the entity, pointed out that “Google’s deceptive and unfair practices harmed millions of European consumers by ensuring that rivals’ price comparison services were virtually invisible”.

This investigation had been opened in 2010 to complaints filed by companies that felt harmed by Google Shopping, such as TripAdvisor or the French firm Twenga.

When announced, this fine was the largest in the history of the EU, although in 2018 it was pulverized by another sanction on Google for 4.3 billion euros, for its control over the use of the Android operating system for mobile phones.

In addition, in 2019 the EU sanctioned Google with a fine of 1,500 million euros for anti-competitive practices of its AdSense advertising network.

This legal battle between the European Commission and Google is just one chapter in Brussels’ efforts against the digital giants and their business and tax practices.

The antitrust officer of the EU, Margrethe Vestager, had already taken to court Apple, who was required to pay 13,000 million euros to Irish taxpayers, but the case was defeated in court.

Meanwhile, on this same day Google she won a victory in the British court, which dismissed a class action lawsuit accusing her of illegally using personal data on iPhone phones.

The European Comission promotes an ambitious new legislation to control the performance of digital giants in the block, through two parallel laws whose approval is negotiated with the European Parliament.

This is a Law on Digital Services and another on Digital Markets, which imposes strict limits on the operation of giants such as the so-called GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft).