Google Loses Final EU Antitrust Appeal, $4.1 Billion Fine Upheld

Google lost its final appeal in an eight-year legal fight over a European Union antitrust penalty.

The European Court of Justice, the bloc’s highest court, on July 2 dismissed an appeal by Google and its parent, Alphabet, against a fine imposed by the European Commission. The decision makes final the company’s 4.1 billion-euro ($4.4 billion) antitrust penalty.

The European Commission imposed the original 4.34 billion-euro fine in 2018, saying Google had abused the market dominance of its Android mobile operating system. Regulators said Google required smartphone makers to preinstall Google Search and Chrome in exchange for access to the Google Play store, tilting the market in favor of its own apps.

Google had challenged the decision in court, but the ECJ ruling leaves no further legal avenue for appeal. In 2022, the EU General Court reduced the fine to 4.1 billion euros from 4.34 billion euros.

Google has also faced scrutiny from the European Commission over other antitrust allegations. Last year, the commission imposed a 2.95 billion-euro fine on the company over anti-competitive conduct in its advertising technology business.

The ruling marks the end of the EU’s first phase of legal battles with Big Tech, according to one legal expert. Alex Haffner, a partner at law firm Fladgate, said the bloc had relied on competition law powers to regulate major technology companies. He added that oversight will now center on the Digital Markets Act, or DMA, and the Digital Services Act, or DSA. The EU has recently broadened its regulatory push across the sector, including to Apple and Meta.

Kim Mi-ri, Hankyung.com reporter mirimiri@hankyung.com