Google appeals record EU fine for innovation

The EU’s record €4.3 billion ($4.5 billion) antitrust fine imposed on Google seven years ago punished the tech giant for its innovation, a unit of Alphabet (GOOGL.O), Europe’s top court said on Tuesday as it asked judges to overturn the EU ruling. Google has appealed to the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg two years after a lower court sided with the European Commission, reported by Reuters.

Google and the Court of Justice of the European Union

The commission alleged that the company used its Android mobile operating system to attack competitors. The lower court reduced the fine to 4.1 billion euros. Google does not deny or evade its legal liability, but believes the Commission also bears responsibility when it conducts an investigation, Google lawyer Alfonso Lamadrid told the court.

He said the Commission was trying to change markets and business models that promote competition when it imposed multi-billion-euro fines. And the Commission had failed to do its duty and, citing numerous errors in the law, punished Google for its strengths, appeal and innovation. Lamadrid defended Google’s agreements that forced phone makers to pre-install Google search, the Chrome browser and the Google Play app store on their Android devices

EU antitrust authorities

In addition, Google prevented them from using competing Android systems. EU antitrust authorities said such requirements hindered competition. Lamadrid argued that these agreements and conditions did not restrict competition, but rather promoted it. The judges will rule in the coming months. Their decision will be final and cannot be appealed. Google is currently “under the EU’s sights” because of its lucrative ad tech business.