Will Google escape $1.7 billion EU fine? Top court hears appeal

Google's appeal of a €1.49 billion EU antitrust fine over AdSense exclusionary clauses (2006–2016) reached Europe's top court on 15 July 2026. The General Court annulled the fine in 2024; the EU Commission appealed, with a court advisor opinion due November 2026 and final ruling to follow. If the top court sides with the General Court, the EU's bar for proving antitrust harm in ad-tech just got much higher—and any ad-supported business using standard exclusivity deals will know whether those contracts are safe by November. If the Commission wins, expect years of re-litigation on every big tech advertising enforcement from the past decade.