On Friday, the European Union imposed a hefty fine of $3.45 billion on Google for engaging in anti-competitive behavior within its AdTech sector. This marks the fourth time in a decade that the tech giant has faced penalties from EU regulators.
The fine followed complaints from the Council of the European Publishing Bureau and comes amid fears of potential retaliation from President Trump against big tech companies.
Originally, the EU competition enforcers aimed to announce the penalties on Monday. However, this was disrupted when EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic expressed concerns about how US tariffs on European cars could be affected.
The committee’s findings indicated that Google prioritized its own online display technology at the expense of competitors and publishers, abusing market power continuously since 2014.
Google has been directed to stop its self-preferencing practices and address the conflict of interest that’s inherently part of its operations.
Following the ruling, Google is required to report back to the committee within 60 days detailing how it plans to comply.
While the committee believes that some of Google’s services may need to be sold, they are first open to evaluating Google’s compliance attempts.
In a statement, EU antitrust chief Teresa Rivera emphasized the need for substantial remedies to manage these conflicts of interest. She stated, “If the market fails, public institutions must step in to prevent the abuse of power by dominant players.”
Google, however, criticized the EU’s decision, suggesting that it would fight the ruling in court. They argued that the commission’s stance is flawed, claiming it could negatively impact many European businesses due to unfair fees and restrictions.
They insisted that providing services to both advertising buyers and sellers is not anti-competitive, highlighting that alternatives to their services are more abundant than ever.
This latest fine follows previous penalties, including a record $5 billion in 2018, $2.8 billion in 2017, and $1.75 billion in 2019.
According to Reuters, this recent penalty may be viewed as less severe compared to the staggering fines imposed earlier.
