Google has been fined a record €890 million by the European Union for violating the Digital Markets Act. Google contested the decision, saying in particular that it could harm the experience of its European users.
It is about the biggest fine imposed under the European Digital Markets Regulation (DMA). Indeed, the European Commission imposed a fine of 890 million euros on Google for practices contrary to the DMA in online search and within its Google Play application store. For its part, Google contests this fine and believes that it could ultimately harm its European users.
Google fined a record 890 million euros by the European Union under the DMA
Google was fined 890 million euros by the European Union. This is quite simply the largest fine imposed on an American company by the European Union, within the framework of the DMA (Digital Markets Act). To be more precise, these are two separate fines that were issued by the EU. The first, amounting to 460 million euros, sanctions the fact that Google has favored its own services in the results of its Google Search search engine.
The second, amounting to 430 million euros, concerns restrictions imposed on Play Store developerswho could not freely direct customers to other virtual points of sale. By adding these two amounts, we therefore end up with a record fine of 890 million euros imposed by the EU. Henna Virkkunen, the vice-president of the commissioner responsible for Digital, explained that this is a “ very important decision », while emphasizing that it aimed to « ensuring a level playing field » for all online businesses.
American company challenges European Union decision
Unsurprisingly, Google criticized the European Union’s decision, saying in particular that its users’ experience could be harmed by the changes necessary to comply. Kent Walker, president of global affairs at Google, explains in a statement sent to AFP: “ To comply, we’re forced to remove real-time search features that Europeans love, like instant pricing and direct availability of hotels, flights and restaurants, and dismantle security protections on Google Play ».
Note also that, a few days before this historic fine imposed by the EU, 25 Republican parliamentarians asked Donald Trump to act in retaliation against the European Union if it persisted in applying “ discriminatory laws, policies or practices in the digital sector », notably via the DMA, in a letter consulted by AFP. With this new fine, the tensions between the United States and Europe are unlikely to fade. Quite the contrary.
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Source :
The World with AFP
