London: Google successfully challenged a €1.49 billion ($1.66 billion) antitrust fine from the European Union on Wednesday, originally imposed five years ago targeting its online advertising operations.
The EU’s General Court announced it was overturning the 2019 penalty from the European Commission, the main antitrust authority for the 27-member bloc.
“The General Court annuls the Commission’s decision in its entirety,” the court stated in a press release.
The commission’s ruling focused on a specific segment of Google’s ad business: ads sold by the company that appeared alongside Google search results on third-party sites.
Regulators had accused Google of using exclusivity clauses in contracts to prevent these sites from displaying ads from competitors. The commission argued that Google’s actions reduced choices for advertisers and website owners, leading to higher prices for consumers.
However, the General Court concluded that the commission “committed errors” in evaluating these clauses, stating it did not adequately prove that Google’s contracts stifled innovation, harmed consumers, or helped the company maintain its dominant position in the national online search advertising markets.
