ECJ judgment: a victory for fair competition in digital space

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Meta-Beschreibung: "Erfahren Sie alles über das historische Urteil des Europäischen Gerichtshofs (EuGH) im Google Shopping Fall, das den Missbrauch von Marktmacht durch Google bestätigt. Lesen Sie, wie dieses wegweisende Urteil die Wettbewerbsbedingungen im digitalen Markt verbessert und die Presseverlegerverbände stärkt. Ein bedeutender Schritt für Fairness im Internet!"
Meta description: "Learn everything about the historical judgment of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in the Google Shopping case, which confirms the abuse of market power by Google. Read how this groundbreaking judgment improves the competitive conditions in the digital market and strengthens the press publisher. An important step for fairness on the Internet!" (Symbolbild/MB)

Important step for fair competition: Effects of the ECJ judgment on digital platforms

A current judgment of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has the potential to change the way in which digital platforms operate in Europe. The decision refers to Google's practices, which have been criticized for years and have now been classified as illegal. The Federal Association of Digital Publisher and Newspaper Publishers (BDZV) and the Media Association of the Free Press (MVFP) recently referred to this judgment as a historical milestone.

In 2017, the European Commission imposed a record fee of EUR 2.42 billion against Google because the company abused its market power in the search engine. In particular, it was about Google's own services in the search results and this disadvantaged competitors. With the latest judgment, this decision has now been confirmed by the ECJ, which gives the publisher associations a significant victory in the struggle for fair competitive conditions.

The importance of this judgment extends beyond the specific case. It is a sign of the growing willingness of the European institutions to act against the power of the large tech companies. Philipp Welte, CEO of the MVFP, expressed: "Today's judgment is a milestone for a free and fairer competition of content in the digital markets." This shows that the European case law is increasingly aiming to prevent abusive practices and create a fairer digital landscape.

  • Important actors: BDZV and MVFP are considered central associations that have been active against the discrimination against content by Google since 2009.
  • The key point of the judgment: The court makes it clear that dominant companies are subject to stricter regulations, especially when it comes to self -favor.

Stefan Hilscher, another CEO of the BDZV, emphasizes that the procedure against Google has initiated a rethink in dealing with digital platforms. Many experts used to see the opportunity to solve competitive problems on their own. This view has changed due to the experience from the Google Shopping process.

The publisher organizations have made it clear that this is progress, but at the same time also a wake -up call to implement stricter rules such as those in Digital Markets Act (DMA). These new rules are designed to prevent distortions of competition and to protect the interests of other providers.

In summary, it can be seen that the ECJ judgment is not only important for Google, but also for numerous other actors in digital space. The developments in this matter can be interpreted as a fundamental change towards fairer competitive conditions in the online world.

The foreign associations have tirelessly campaigned for the rights of the press and fairness in the digital market, and this judgment is a significant step in the right direction. However, the challenge remains to ensure that similar abuse no longer occur and that the free press organizations can claim their place in the digital ecosystem.

The current events could thus serve as a request to politicians and institutions across Europe, to continuously review and adapt competition law to ensure a diversified and fair media landscape.