The European Commission announced two financial penalties against Google on Wednesday, totaling €890 million. The American giant is accused of violating the Digital Markets Act, European legislation regulating large digital platforms. The first fine, amounting to €460 million, targets the practices of Google Search. The company allegedly favored its own services in its search engine results, to the detriment of competitors. The second penalty concerns the Google Play Store and restrictions on the free movement of applications.
An investigation launched in 2024
These decisions follow an investigation launched by Brussels in March 2024. Henna Virkkunen, European Commissioner for Technological Sovereignty, was keen to clarify the scope of these sanctions. "These decisions send a clear message: we will not hesitate to use our tools to safeguard the business and innovation opportunities opened up by the DMA," she stated. The European legislation imposes strict obligations on digital giants to guarantee fair competition.
The Commission accuses Google of abusing its dominant position in the online search market. European authorities intend to force platforms to comply with competitive rules. These fines are part of a series of measures taken by the European Union against the practices of major American technology companies. Google has not yet announced whether it plans to challenge these sanctions in European courts.
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