Google sued by 34 publishers from Europe. Agora wants EUR 44 million in compensation

We write about lawsuits filed against Google quite regularly, but this time we are dealing with an unprecedented situation. 34 European press publishers are preparing a huge lawsuit against the giant, demanding a total of EUR 2.1 billion in compensation for unfair practices in the online advertising market committed by Google in the years 2014-2023.

Agora is suing Google for EUR 44 million

Among the defendants is the Polish joint-stock company Agora (owner of, among others, “Gazeta Wyborcza”), which is demanding EUR 44 million in compensation from Google. Agora provided more details about the joint and several lawsuit of 34 European press publishers in an official stock exchange announcement.

Specifically, we learn from the announcement that a large group of European press publishers have decided to sue the Dutch company Google Netherlands for “violating the principles of fair competition in the online advertising technology market in the years 2014-2023.” In addition to Agora, the plaintiffs include, among others: German Axel Springer, Spanish Prensa Iberica and French Groupe Center France.

Google's European branch is to pay a total of EUR 2.1 billion in compensation, or at least this is the amount of the demands made. A group of European publishers were encouraged to file a lawsuit by the final decision of the French competition authority, which in mid-2021 imposed a fine on Google of EUR 220 million for abusing its dominant position in the online advertising market.

Google does not agree with the allegations

As you might guess, Google does not agree with the publishers' allegations and emphasizes that it conducts “constructive cooperation with publishers across Europe.”

– Our advertising tools, and those of our many adtech competitors, help millions of websites and apps finance their content and enable businesses of all sizes to effectively reach new customers. These services are adapted and developed in cooperation with the same publishers. This lawsuit is speculative and opportunistic. We will oppose it firmly, based on facts – wrote Oliver Bethell, Google Chief Legal Officer, in a statement.