Google Android: the ECJ upholds Google's fine of around €4.1B [pdf]
The European Court of Justice upheld a €4.1 billion fine against Google for abusing its dominance in the Android mobile operating system market. The Court confirmed that Google imposed illegal restrictions on device manufacturers and mobile network operators to strengthen its search engine market position. The ruling finalizes one of the largest antitrust penalties in EU history.
Background
- The **European Court of Justice (ECJ)** is the EU's highest court, whose rulings on competition law cannot be appealed. This is its final judgment on a case that began in 2018.
- In 2018 the **European Commission** fined Google €4.34 billion for abusing the dominant position of its **Android** mobile operating system. The Commission found that Google illegally tied its search app and Chrome browser to the Google Play Store license, paid manufacturers and mobile operators to exclusively pre-install Google Search, and blocked them from using forked ("non-compatible") Android versions.
- The General Court (the EU's second-highest court) largely upheld the fine in 2022 but reduced it slightly to €4.125 billion. Google appealed to the ECJ; the ECJ has now **dismissed the appeal in its entirety**, making the fine final.
- This is one of three record EU antitrust fines against Google (shopping comparison service: €2.42B; AdSense advertising: €1.49B). It underscores the EU's aggressive stance on Big Tech market power under its digital competition framework.