Google has been fined €2.95 billion by the European Union for allegedly abusing its power in the digital advertising sector.
At the end of last week, the European Commission ruled that the US tech giant had breached competition rules by favouring the placement of its own products in online adverts at the expense of its rivals.
The company told the BBC that the Commission’s decision was wrong and confirmed it would appeal.
“It imposes an unjustified fine and requires changes that will hurt thousands of European businesses by making it harder for them to make money,” said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s global head of regulatory affairs.
“There’s nothing anti-competitive in providing services for ad buyers and sellers, and there are more alternatives to our services than ever before,” she added.
In a post, Donald Trump also condemned the decision, describing it as “very unfair” and threatening to launch an investigation into European tech practices, which he suggested could result in new tariffs.
