Google faces EU court hurdles after adviser questions AdSense fine reversal

What happened

EU Advocate General Juliane Kokott said the regulator was right to find Google’s online advertising practices could shut out rivals, challenging a 2024 lower-court decision that overturned a €1.49B antitrust fine. The European Commission appealed that ruling to the EU’s top court.

Confirmed

Global impact / market context

If the top court ultimately restores the fine, Google could face renewed financial costs and limits on practices the regulator said could exclude rivals. That could also change competitive conditions in online advertising, affecting how Google and competing businesses attract advertisers and generate revenue.

Analyst inference

The adviser’s opinion is not the final court ruling: the lower court overturned the fine in 2024, and the Commission appealed. The article says this fine was one of six EU antitrust penalties totaling €10.38B over nearly two decades, showing the broader regulatory cost exposure.

Confirmed

What to watch

1. Watch for the EU Court of Justice’s decision on the Commission’s appeal; it will determine whether the lower court’s reversal of the AdSense fine stands. Analyst inference
2. Check whether the final ruling restores the €1.49B fine or changes the outcome, since either result would clarify Google’s direct financial exposure in this case. Analyst inference
3. Look for any ruling on whether Google’s online advertising practices could shut out rivals, which may signal whether those practices face further constraints. Analyst inference

Evidence

• seekingalpha.com