Apple and Google lose multibillion dollar with EU for abusing their market power

New Delhi: Apple lost an appeal against a €13bn Irish tax bill and Google lost its challenge to a €2.4bn fine for abusing its market power. 

The EU's Court of Justice upheld rulings that Apple was handed illegal state aid by Ireland and that Google had unfairly promoted its own services through its search engine. 

The decisions give a fresh boost to the EU's crackdown on Big Tech driven by Margrethe Vestager. Vestager had gone after companies like Apple, Google, Amazon, and Fiat, among others, enjoying selective tax benefits. 

The Apple case was her biggest victory in a decade-long crusade.