Last Updated on March 30, 2024 by Ranking
It is highly likely that Google will be unable to avoid the billion-dollar fine imposed on it by the European Union in 2017 for engaging in unfair market practices.
This fine, which is the highest in EU history, is a result of a high-profile antitrust case that has been ongoing in recent years. The European Commission made the decision to penalize Alphabet, Google’s parent company and owner of the world’s most popular search engine, with a fine of $2.42 billion due to their alleged unfair market practices aimed at promoting their own price-comparison service.
This service was designed to display results that favored Google’s own interests, manipulating the decisions of millions of users who relied on the search engine to make online purchases.
Despite Alphabet’s initial disagreement with the EU’s decision, their efforts to avoid the hefty fine seem to be in vain as recent leaks suggest that the Court of Justice of the European Union is likely to uphold the penalty. According to sources close to Google, one of the top advisors of the EU Court of Justice is on the verge of recommending that the judges uphold the fine.
While this does not signify the end of the case, past evidence has shown that judges often follow the advice of their advisors and uphold previously imposed penalties, especially in cases involving unfair practices by large corporations seeking to maintain their dominance and suppress competition.
The final verdict in this highly publicized case is expected to be announced in the coming weeks, and if Google is indeed required to pay the $2.42 billion fine, it will be the largest amount ever paid to the European Union in its entire history.
