In a major legal setback for two tech giants, Apple Inc and Google, the European Union has secured victories in its relentless pursuit of Big Tech accountability.
These rulings represent a major milestone in the EU’s efforts to rein in corporate dominance and ensure a fair marketplace.
With Apple losing its appeal against a 13 billion euro ($14.4 billion) tax bill and Google being hit with a 2.4 billion euro fine for market abuse, the EU has sent a powerful message to Silicon Valley.
The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg upheld a crucial 2016 decision, concluding that Ireland had breached state-aid laws by granting Apple an unfair advantage.
In another win for the EU’s antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, the court ruled that Google had unlawfully exploited its search engine dominance to prioritise its own product listings.