EU court slightly cuts Google’s antitrust fine to €4.125 billion
The EU General Court on Wednesday largely upheld the European Commission’s massive antitrust fine against Google in 2018 but cut the amount to €4.125 billion ($4.123 billion) from €4.34 billion.
The tech giant was slapped with the record fine in 2018 and filed a complaint within weeks.
The European Union’s executive branch accused Google, and its parent company Alphabet, of having violated the bloc’s competition rules to “cement its dominant position in general internet search’’ on Android devices.
The commission argued that Google illegally reinforced its dominance by offering Google Search to mobile phone manufacturers only as a bundle with other Google apps, paying them for pre-installing Google Search as the only search app, and obstructing the development of competing apps.
The General Court, in a statement, said it “largely confirms the commission’s decision that Google imposed unlawful restrictions on manufacturers of Android mobile devices and mobile network operators” to consolidate the dominant position of its search engine.
It added, “In order to better reflect the gravity and duration of the infringement, the General Court considers it appropriate, however, to impose a fine of €4.125 billion on Google, its reasoning differing in certain respects from that of the commission.’’
Google has the right to appeal against Wednesday’s ruling by the Luxembourg-based court.
The case is one of several major antitrust cases between the European Commission and Google over its dominance of the internet market, involving multibillion-euro fines.
In 2021, Google already lost a trial against a €2.4 billion competition fine for abusing its market dominance by promoting its shopping services and appealed the ruling.
(dpa/NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
NationWide
Commission proposes joint technical committee to end Kebbi, Niger boundary dispute
“There is equally the need for a physical fieldwork to trace the boundary in accordance with relevant documents.’’
Education
Foundation trains 50 Kano UTME candidates in computer-based test
Mr Abdulwahab said that the initiative was aimed at equipping the participants with the necessary computer skills.
NationWide
Ministry partners Cisco, others to boost digital economy
The minister noted the increased attention on AI across the world and growth in investments in technology in Nigeria.
Politics
171,922 APC members to choose Ondo governorship candidate among Aiyedatiwa, Oke, Ibrahim, 13 others today
Mr Omo-Agege assured of the committee’s resolve to strictly follow the party’s guidelines and constitution.
Showbiz
Nigerian chess master, Tunde Onakoya, breaks GWR’s longest chess marathon
A charity group on Thursday said Mr Onakoya experienced intense vomiting and stomach pain.
World
800,000 people in Sudan city in ‘extreme, immediate danger’: UN
DiCarlo said fighting in El Fasher could unleash bloody inter-communal strife throughout Darfur.