Google loses final appeal against EU antitrust fine

BRUSSELS: Google has lost its final challenge against a multibillion-euro European Union antitrust penalty tied to the way it handled its Android mobile operating system, in a ruling that reinforces the bloc’s scrutiny of major technology companies.

The Court of Justice of the European Union, based in Luxembourg, upheld an earlier 2022 judgment that had trimmed the penalty to 4.1 billion euros from the 4.34 billion euros originally imposed by the European Commission in 2018. The court also maintained the finding that Google had misused its dominant position in the market through its Android-related business conduct.

The case centred on the European Commission’s allegation that Google required smartphone makers to pre-install Google Search. EU regulators had argued that the company’s Android practices amounted to an abuse of market power, leading to what remains one of the bloc’s biggest competition fines against a tech company.

The ruling is seen as a significant decision for the European Union’s broader campaign to limit the influence of Big Tech in digital markets. The fine, issued against Alphabet’s Google, was valued at $4.69 billion alongside the 4.1 billion euro figure cited in the judgment.