Google Stumbles in $5 Billion Antitrust Fight with EU

Google’s multibillion-euro battle with European regulators just hit a major speed bump.

On Thursday, an adviser to the European Union’s highest court recommended that Google lose its appeal against a massive €4.34 billion ($4.98 billion) antitrust fine over its Android mobile operating system. This could deal a serious blow to the tech giant’s ongoing efforts to shield itself from landmark penalties imposed by the EU.

Juliane Kokott, an Advocate-General at the European Court of Justice, declared that Google’s legal defenses were “ineffective,” and advised the court to uphold a lower tribunal's decision that trimmed the original fine to €4.1 billion still one of the largest ever imposed in European history.

• The European Commission originally ruled in 2018 that Google abused Android’s dominance to stifle competition by forcing device makers to pre-install Google apps.

• Google has already racked up €8.25 billion in EU fines across three major antitrust cases.

• Android runs 73% of the world’s smartphones, amplifying Google’s reach and regulatory scrutiny.

Kokott rejected Google’s argument that its actions should be judged against those of a hypothetical “as-efficient competitor,” calling the comparison unrealistic. She emphasized that Google’s network dominance allowed it to push out rivals and maintain its grip on mobile search and app distribution.

The court's final ruling, expected in the coming months, will set a precedent for how Europe handles Big Tech dominance and may embolden regulators already tightening the screws under the EU’s Digital Markets Act.

In response, a Google spokesperson said, “We are disappointed with the Opinion… [it] would discourage investment in open platforms and harm Android users, partners and app developers.”

That’s a familiar refrain from Silicon Valley. But regulators say Google’s behavior goes beyond competition it’s about controlling the gateway to the mobile internet and stifling innovation.

With the CJEU following similar opinions in about 80% of cases, the odds are not in Google’s favor. As Europe’s regulatory machine continues to clamp down on tech giants, this could be the beginning of a global shift away from unchecked digital monopolies.

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