Google Alleges CCI Copied From EU Order On Android Abuse Case: Report 

Google told a tribunal that the Competition Commission of India (CCI) copied parts from a European Union (EU) ruling against the tech giant in a case relating to the Android operating system’ anti-competitive practices. 

The tech giant also asked for CCI’s decisions against the company to be quashed. In October, the CCI fined Alphabet Inc’s Google for abusing its dominant position in markets like online search and application web store.  

Further, the regulatory body asked Google to change its coercive practices that cause Android smartphone makers to pre-install applications from Google’s Play Store. 

Following CCI’s ruling, sources told Reuters that Google was worried about the Indian regulator’s decisions which were more “sweeping” than the European Commission's landmark 2018 ruling. Google has already challenged the record $4.3 billion fine imposed by the EU regulator. 

In a filing made to an Indian appeals tribunal, Google has alleged that CCI’s investigation unit “copy-pasted extensively from a European Commission decision, deploying evidence from Europe that was not examined in India.” 

“There are more than 50 instances of copy-pasting”, even “word-for-word”, and CCI erroneously dismissed the issue, Google said in its filing which has been reviewed by Reuters. While deeming the tech company’s practices as pro-competitive, Google, in its filing, has accused the CCI of not conducting an impartial and legally sound investigation.   

The tribunal will hear the case on Wednesday regarding the quashing of CCI’s October ruling. 

The CCI ruling had come at a time when Google is facing increased criticism around the world for its allegedly anti-competitive practices. In the ruling, the Indian watchdog asked for Google's licensing of its Play Store to not be linked with mandatory pre-installation of Google search services, Chrome browser, YouTube or other Google applications.