The EU takes a red card from Google | AmericaEconomy



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The record fine granted to the US Internet consortium Google and its parent company Alphabet has little to do with current disagreements in the transatlantic relationship. Once again the voices will be heard against the sanction, the conservative nationalist sector that supports the American president. But there are similar processes taking place in India or Turkey.

For some time now, the European Commission has been targeting Google, Apple and Amazon, after these companies have successfully consolidated their position in the market. in the European Union, probably taking advantage of this position. Quite simply, there are no European consortia of this size with such significant market power.

Donald Trump may consider an attack on US companies that abuse their market position as an attack on themselves. But he is wrong, as in many things, when he said: "The rates of the woman hate America" ​​("The tax woman hates America"). Trump lambasted by these words against Margrethe Vestager, head of the EU's competition policy, who is investigating Google and other companies. The Danish commissioner is going slowly. After several years of research, Vestager is clear that the Internet giant is taking advantage of its power position with the Android operating system to better place its own products in searches and thus earn more money. money.

For some time now, the European Commission has been targeting Google, Apple and Amazon, after these companies have successfully consolidated their position in the European Union market, taking advantage of this position. Quite simply, there are no European consortia of this size with such significant market power.

Without sanctions in the USA

Surely, the big Internet companies have benefited from the fact that in their country of origin antitrust regulations, although strict, have not been applied until now regularly. A process similar to that conducted against Google in Europe took place in the United States as early as 2013 and concluded by a court agreement. The new director of the Federal Trade Commission, responsible for competition issues, wants to pursue Google, and at the same time, this director, appointed by Trump, also aims at Facebook and Amazon.

The European Union does what Americans should do: watch what's happening and not be fooled by the chatter of marketing and power groups. Similarly, the European Commission investigates competition problems when competitors complain In this case, nationalistic reasoning plays no role in this case.

It is not clear that Google and other companies will change their business strategies after the penalty imposed. a possible process before the Court of Justice of the European Union, which can last up to two years, but, in most cases The sentence is generally favorable to the European Union

L & rsquo; $ 5 billion fine imposed on Google may seem high, but it must be kept in mind that the abuse has occurred for years, which has resulted in substantial net profits for the & # 039; 39; company. Apparently, Google has cash reserves worth $ 90 billion, so the penalty is financially bearable. What can be expensive is that Google does not respect the conditions imposed by the European Commission. An additional $ 6.5 billion a year would be added to the original sanction.

Trump vs. Amazon

On the other hand, Trump himself complained to Amazon, because in his opinion, he engulfs the small trade of the real world. In addition, the founder of Amazon Jeff Bezos is the owner of the Washington Post, critic of Trump. His pages publish every day a new episode of the Trump clan in the White House.

Bezos labeled Trump as an intimate foe, so it's no wonder the US president is trying to hit Amazon. It is indisputable that Amazon has a privileged position in the US market. This is also why the "Federal Trade Commission" wants to examine the company with a magnifying glbad, and whoever dares to badume that political motives are hidden there is a bad thought.

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