The European Union’s top court has ruled in favor of tech giants Google, Amazon, and Airbnb in their battle against a ruling imposed by Italy. The Italian law, passed in 2020 and 2021, required these companies to provide detailed information about themselves, a move that the companies have vehemently opposed.
The European headquarters of Google and Airbnb are located in Ireland, while Amazon is based in Luxembourg. The US-based online travel services platform Expedia, with its European headquarters in Spain, has also raised objections to the requirement.
The disputed rule mandates online service providers operating in Italy to register and submit various types of information, along with a financial contribution or risk facing fines for non-compliance. The companies argue that this rule contradicts EU legislation, which states that online service providers are only subject to the laws of the country where they are established.
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that Italy cannot impose additional obligations on online service providers established in other member states. This decision aligns with the EU’s stance that countries where services are provided should not enforce their own rules on companies established elsewhere.
In a related development, the European Commission designated six technology giants, including Google, Amazon, and Meta, as gatekeepers under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in November 2023. These companies have been given six months to ensure compliance with the DMA obligations, marking a significant step in regulating the tech industry within the EU.