BRUSSELS, Sept 18, V7N - An EU court is set to rule on Wednesday regarding Google's appeal of a 1.49 billion euro fine, equivalent to $1.65 billion, imposed by the European Union. This decision comes just a week after the tech giant faced a significant legal setback when the EU's highest court upheld a 2.42 billion euro fine for abusing its dominant position in the market.

Regulators worldwide are intensifying their scrutiny of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, as they conduct various trials and investigations into the tech giant. The European Commission has been particularly active, having imposed a total of 8.2 billion euros in fines on Google between 2017 and 2019 for antitrust violations.The fine in question, which the EU's antitrust regulator imposed, stems from findings that Google abused its dominance through its AdSense advertising service.

The Luxembourg-based General Court will announce its decision on Google's appeal after 0730 GMT on Wednesday.Google is seeking to annul the commission's decision or reduce the fine. However, the legal battles do not end there. The company is also contesting a 4.3 billion euro penalty related to restrictions placed on Android smartphones to bolster its search business. This fine remains the largest antitrust penalty ever levied by the EU.In addition to these ongoing cases, the EU has introduced the Digital Markets Act, a new regulatory framework aimed at preventing tech giants from engaging in anti-competitive practices.

This act provides clear guidelines on what companies can and cannot do online, aiming to encourage compliance before the imposition of fines.Meanwhile, Google is facing challenges in the U.S. as well, with ongoing antitrust trials. Just last week, the company encountered its second major trial in under a year, with the U.S. government accusing it of monopolistic practices in ad technology.

A recent ruling found Google's search business to be an illegal monopoly, raising concerns about a potential breakup of the company.As the legal saga continues, Google remains under the microscope from regulators in both Europe and the U.S., with significant implications for its business operations and market strategies.

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