2025-11-14 11:43:43
Google has been ordered to pay €573 million in damages to two German price-comparison services.
The ruling stems from long-running legal battles triggered by the European Commission’s landmark 2017 decision, which fined Google €2.4 billion for abusing its dominance in search to favour its own shopping service over rivals.
The Berlin Regional Court issued two separate judgments late Thursday (11.13.25).
In the first, Axel Springer-owned Idealo, which had initially sought €3.3 billion in damages, was awarded €374 million, plus €91 million in interest.
In the second, rival comparison site Producto GmbH was granted €89.7 million, with an additional €17.7 million in interest, after having sought €290 million.
Both companies argued that Google’s anti-competitive behaviour diverted traffic away from their platforms for years, causing substantial financial harm.
The court’s rulings were made possible by Google’s failed attempts to overturn the EU’s original antitrust fine; a tribunal confirmed in 2023 that Google had indeed violated competition law, clearing the way for civil courts across Europe to award damages without re-litigating the underlying breach.
The cases represent only a fraction of Google’s legal exposure.
According to Bloomberg, the company faces at least €12 billion in related civil claims across Europe from firms alleging long-term losses tied to Google’s search manipulation.
Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the ruling.
The decisions mark another significant flashpoint in the EU’s expanding crackdown on Big Tech, reinforcing that companies found guilty of antitrust violations can face years – and billions – of legal consequences beyond regulatory fines
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