Report: EU court rules in favor of Google and Amazon in dispute over Italian regulations

Google, Amazon, and Airbnb have emerged victorious in a legal battle against Italian authorities over a controversial rule that required online service providers to disclose detailed information about themselves. The ruling, issued by Europe’s top court, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), stated that Italy cannot impose additional obligations on online service providers established in other EU member states.

The dispute stemmed from provisions introduced in 2020 and 2021, which mandated online service providers operating in Italy to register, submit various types of information, and make a financial contribution or face penalties. Google, Amazon, and Airbnb, along with US-based online travel services provider Expedia, challenged the requirement, arguing that it contradicted EU legislation.

The CJEU judges sided with the tech giants, emphasizing that online service providers should only be subject to the laws of the country where they are established. The ruling highlighted that Italy cannot impose additional obligations on providers established in other EU member states, even if such requirements are necessary for providing services in Italy.

Google and Airbnb have their European headquarters in Ireland, while Amazon is based in Luxembourg. The decision, which is final and cannot be appealed, sets a precedent for similar disputes in the future. The cases, which included Airbnb Ireland, Amazon Services Europe, Expedia, Google Ireland, Eg Vacation Rentals Ireland, and Amazon Services Europe, have now been resolved in favor of the tech companies.