European Commission Fines Google €2.95 Billion

The European Commission (EC) has fined American corporation Google €2.95 billion for violating competitive rules in the online advertising sector. According to Brussels, the company has been using its services to the detriment of competitors for years, starting from 2014, which constitutes a breach of Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

The investigation found that Google favored its own products by holding a dominant position in the market. Google simultaneously places advertisements, acts as an intermediary between advertisers and online platform owners, and manages its own advertising market. Brussels has demanded that the company cease its self-preferencing practices.