EU's Top 10 Antitrust Actions Against Tech Giants

The EU has been a tough regulator for U.S. tech giants, hitting them with hefty fines for antitrust violations. Margrethe Vestager, the outgoing competition chief, joked that Big Tech is her best customer. Here are the top 10 cases:

1. Apple’s Tax Breaks in Ireland: Apple paid €13.1 billion in back taxes after the EU ruled Ireland gave illegal tax breaks. The Court of Justice upheld the decision in 2024.

2. Google’s Android Restrictions: Google faced a €4.34 billion fine for limiting what software mobile device makers could bundle with Android. The fine was slightly reduced on appeal.

3. Google’s Shopping Self-Preferencing: Google got a €2.42 billion fine for favoring its own shopping service in search results over rivals. The top court affirmed the fine in 2024.

4. Apple’s iOS Music Streaming: Apple was fined €1.84 billion for blocking developers from telling users about cheaper deals outside the App Store.

5. Google’s AdSense Restrictions: Google was fined €1.49 billion for using restrictive clauses to squeeze out rival ad brokers. The General Court annulled the decision in 2024.

6. PC Monitor and TV Parts Cartel: A €1.47 billion fine was imposed on electronics giants for price-fixing CRT components.

7. Intel’s Exclusionary Practices: Intel was fined €1.06 billion for paying manufacturers to avoid using AMD chips. The fine was later reduced to €376.36 million.

8. Qualcomm’s Deal with Apple: Qualcomm was fined €997 million for paying Apple to use its mobile chips exclusively. The General Court ruled in Qualcomm’s favor in 2022.

9. Microsoft’s Licensing Practices: Microsoft was fined €497 million in 2004 for abusing its Windows dominance. The fine would be worth over €1.3 billion today.

10. Amazon’s Tax Deal in Luxembourg: The EU argued Amazon got undue tax benefits, but the top court ruled against the EU in 2023.

These cases highlight the EU’s aggressive stance on tech regulation, often setting precedents for future enforcement.