Google Asks Court to Dismiss $1.6 Billion Fine Imposed by EU

Alphabet unit Google on Monday urged Europe’s second-highest courtroom to dismiss a EUR 1.49 billion ($1.6 billion) (roughly Rs. 11,986 crore) advantageous imposed by EU antitrust regulators three years in the past for hindering rivals in on-line search promoting.

The case is considered one of three that has resulted in a complete of EUR 8.25 billion (roughly Rs. 66,375 crore) in European Union antitrust fines on the world’s hottest web search engine.

The European Commission in its 2019 choice stated Google had abused its dominance to cease web sites utilizing brokers aside from its AdSense platform which offered search adverts. The Commission stated the unlawful practices occurred from 2006 to 2016.

Google subsequently challenged the EU discovering within the Luxembourg-based General Court. The firm will set out its case throughout a three-day listening to beginning on Monday.

The EU competitors enforcer’s evaluation of Google’s dominance and the Commission’s choice that search adverts and non-search adverts don’t compete had been flawed, Google stated in a courtroom doc.

It additionally took concern with the Commission for saying the corporate’s exclusivity, premium placement and minimal Google adverts clauses had been abusive.

Google suffered a setback final yr when it misplaced its courtroom battle in opposition to a EUR 2.42 billion (roughly Rs. 19,466 crore) antitrust choice over the usage of its personal worth comparability procuring service to achieve an unfair benefit over smaller European rivals.

© Thomson Reuters 2022