Google Asks EU Court to Permanently Annul €1.49 Billion Antitrust Fine

Google urges the EU Court of Justice to permanently annul a €1.49 billion antitrust fine for restrictive advertising clauses (2006-2016), arguing the lower court's 2024 decision annulling the penalty was sound; the Commission contests this, claiming the ruling sets a dangerous precedent that would make exclusive contract clauses lawful by default. If Google wins, exclusive advertising clauses move from illegal to legal across the EU, and any ad tech platform currently operating under strict competition rules can now negotiate exclusivity with publishers. The ruling is expected November; your contract terms are about to change.