On Wednesday 3 September, the French National Commission for Information Technology and Civil Liberties (CNIL)) imposed a historic fine of €325 million on Google for its targeted advertising practices and cookies policy.
The fine, the largest ever imposed by the French institution, follows an investigation launched in 2019. This is the third time that the French regulator has sanctioned the US company.
The CNIL suspected Google of failing to obtain the free and informed consent of Internet users before collecting advertising cookies.
This sanction comes against a backdrop of very high tensions between the EU and the United States, fuelled by the Trump administration’s vehement criticism of European digital legislation (see EUROPE 13700/13).
Google, which is being monitored by regulators around the world, should also have been fined earlier this week as part of a European investigation, according to several media reports (see EUROPE 13700/18).
Sanction postponed following a decision by the College of Commissioners on Monday morning, effectively linked to geopolitical tensions between the EU and Washington, according to several sources.
Accused of being behind the postponement of the fine, the Commissioner for Trade, Maroš Šefčovič, defended himself, arguing that the arbitration was the result of an internal procedure.
“I would like to stress that I fully support the investigation”, he stressed, assuring that Commissioner Teresa Ribera, responsible for Competition Policy, was “well aware of my support”.
According to several sources, the Google announcement is expected early next week. (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)