Google's Legal Victory Against $1.7 Billion EU Antitrust Fine

Overview of Google’s Legal Triumph

Google's recent victory in the General Court allows it to annul the €1.49 billion antitrust fine, which had accused the tech giant of abusing its dominant position in online advertising. The court stated that the European Commission failed to consider all relevant circumstances, thereby deeming the penalty unjustified.

Details of the Case

• The European Commission initially ruled that Google had stifled competition from 2006 to 2016 by restricting website publishers to its AdSense platform for search ads.
• The judges pointed out that the Commission did not adequately demonstrate that Google's practices deterred innovation or harmed consumers.

Implications for EU Antitrust Enforcement

This outcome illustrates the challenges faced by the outgoing EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager in enforcing regulations against Big Tech. Google noted that they had already revised their contractual agreements in 2016, prior to the Commission's findings.

Qualcomm's Partial Setback

In contrast, Qualcomm's attempts to overturn its own significant EU fine resulted in only a minor reduction. The General Court upheld the majority of the Commission's positions regarding Qualcomm's predatory pricing practices against Icera.

Future of EU Antitrust Actions

With the option to appeal to the European Court of Justice still available, it remains to be seen how these rulings will influence the landscape of antitrust regulation in Europe.