Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance successfully represents FairSearch and Seznam on EU General Court ruling against Google

Leading international law firm Clifford Chance represented FairSearch and Seznam, two interveners supporting the European Commission, in relation to the appeal that led to the EU General Court's 14 September judgement substantially upholding the European Commission's 2018 Decision on Google's anticompetitive practices related to its Android mobile software. The limited annulment of one aspect of the Decision resulted in the Court upholding 95% of the Decision's original fine, or EUR 4.125 billion.

Dieter Paemen, partner at Clifford Chance's Brussels office, says: "The General Court judgment is a vindication of the Commission's antitrust enforcement against Google and FairSearch's complaint that triggered the case. The limited fine reduction is cold comfort for Google."

Jan Dobrý, a counsel at Clifford Chance's Prague office who represented Seznam, adds: "Consumers and competition prevail as a result of this judgment. The Court understood the significance of the decision and the commercial context of Google's conduct evidenced by Seznam's experience, and took an important step towards the opportunities for true consumer choice."

Clifford Chance's Brussels office represented FairSearch, an industry organisation that filed the first complaint in the case that triggered the European Commission's investigation (in 2013) throughout the administrative procedure and as an intervener supporting the European Commission in the context of Google's appeal before the Court. The team was led by Dieter Paemen and Thomas Vinje and included counsel Katharine Missenden and associates Maarten Kennis, Maria Sowinska, Ana Hergouth and Victoria Baltrusch.

Clifford Chance's Prague office led the representation of Czech search engine provider Seznam. Jan Dobrý, counsel, working closely with the Brussels office lawyers, supported by Miloš Felgr, partner, led the team representing Seznam, which also included associates Petr Chytil and Bára Bečvářová.