Brussels (ANSA) – The EU does not yield to the blackmail of Donald Trump and after days of tension at the top of the Berlaymont, has imposed a fine of 2.95 billion euros on Google. For the EU executive, Mountain View has violated antitrust rules by favoring its own online display advertising technology services to the detriment of competing advertising technology service providers, advertisers, and online publishers.
The duration, the severity of the infringement, and previous sanctions for abuse of dominant position convinced the European Commission to impose the hefty fine. Brussels has therefore ordered Google to cease these self-preferencing practices and to implement measures to eliminate conflicts of interest along the adtech supply chain. The US giant now has 60 days to propose measures to address the identified issues.
“If it fails to do so, we will not hesitate to impose drastic measures,” warned the Executive Vice President of the Commission Teresa Ribera. “An erroneous decision,” thundered Mountain View, already under pressure for a largely similar case across the ocean. “An unjustified sanction is imposed, and changes are required that will harm thousands of European companies, making it more difficult for them to generate profits,” explained Google’s Vice President and Global Head of Regulatory Affairs, Lee-Anne Mulhollandannouncing an appeal.
Trump’s immediate response threatened new tariffs on the EU for the “unjust” ruling on Google. “As I have already said, my Administration will not allow these discriminatory actions to be maintained,” Trump wrote on Truth, threatening to “initiate a proceeding under Section 301 to overturn the unjust sanctions imposed on these American companies.”
The fine had been the subject of an internal clash within the Commission between the Competition Commissioner, Ribera, and the Trade Commissioner, Maroš Šefčovičthe chief negotiator of the trade agreement with the United States. According to Mlex’s account, the Slovak opposed the issuance of the fine, which was supposed to be announced on Monday, proposing to suspend it for fear of retaliation across the ocean (September 5).
