Google It was beaten on Friday with an antimonopoly fine of 2.95 billion euros ($ 3.45 billion) of the European Union regulators for anti -competitive practices in its lucrative advertising technology business.
The European Commission, which is the EU executive agency, accused Google of distorting competition in the so -called Adtech market by unfairly favoring its own advertising technology services to the detriment of Adtech’s rival suppliers, advertisers and online editors.
He also ordered Google that “put an end to these self-interference practices” and “implies measures to cease their conflicts of inherent interests throughout the adtech supply chain.” The company has 60 days to answer.
“Today’s decision shows that Google abused his dominant position in Adtech damaging the editors, advertisers and consumers. This behavior is illegal under the antimonopoolio rules of the EU,” said the head of competition of the EU, Teresa Ribera, in a statement on Friday.
“Google must now present a serious remedy to address your conflicts of interest, and if you do not, we will not hesitate to impose strong remedies.”
Google’s global regulatory issues, Lee-Anne Mulholland, said the EU’s decision is “incorrect” and that the company will appeal.
“It imposes an unjustified fine and requires changes that will harm thousands of European companies by making it more difficult for them to make money,” said Mulholland. “There is nothing anticompetitive in providing services for buyers and advertising sellers, and there are more alternatives to our services than ever.”
The company said it hopes to accumulate the fine in the third quarter, according to a presentation before the stock exchange and values ​​commission.
The case dates back to 2021 when the EU first opened a Google probe to assess whether the technological giant favors its own online advertisement technology services.
The news occurs after Reuters reported earlier this week that the commission had delayed the fine since regulators expected the United States to reduce tariffs in European cars as part of a commercial agreement.
