The European Commission has fined Google 890 million euros

The European Commission has fined the world's largest technology company Google 890 million euros (about one billion US dollars) for allegedly abusing its dominant position in the search engine sector.

European authorities say that Google used its power to limit competitive opportunities for rival companies.

A statement issued by the European Commission said that Google used its search engine monopoly to highlight its various services, while keeping other companies' services behind in search results.

According to the authorities, Google adopted an unfair method to bring its shopping, travel, games and other online services to more users, which affected the balance of competition in the market.

The European Commission clarified that under the Digital Markets Act, large technology companies cannot prioritize their own products and services, but must act in accordance with transparent, fair and non-discriminatory principles.

The Commission also accused Google of preventing developers from informing users about alternative payment methods on the Google Play Store, as this could have reduced Google’s fees. According to European authorities, this practice also falls under the category of violation of digital laws, which are aimed at preventing large technology companies from establishing monopolies.

According to the European Commission, Google has been given 60 days to implement this decision, otherwise the company may face further financial fines.

On the other hand, Google has reacted to the European Commission’s decision, saying that the move will harm European consumers.

This is not the first time that the European Union has taken action against Google. Earlier in 2018, Google was fined $4.7 billion for alleged monopoly in the Android mobile operating system, while in 2017, the company was fined $2.8 billion for violating competition rules in the search sector.

According to analysts, the latest action against Google could further escalate trade tensions between the European Union and the United States, as the US government has already expressed concerns over European trade policies and hinted at possible retaliatory measures.