The General Court's ruling annulled the European Commission's €1.49 billion penalty, finding that the assessment of Google's contract clauses contained 'errors' and failed to prove harm to innovation or consumers.
According to the court, the European Commission did not successfully demonstrate that Google's exclusivity clauses in contracts deterred innovation, enforced dominance, or harmed competition in advertising markets.
Google clarified that it had already modified its contracts in 2016 to eliminate contentious provisions, prior to the Commission's decision, highlighting its pro-competitive approach even ahead of regulatory scrutiny.
The European Commission announced it would review the General Court's judgment carefully and consider possible next steps, indicating ongoing vigilance regarding antitrust practices in the tech sector.
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