Google e Meta vs. Comissão Europeia

: análise do acordo Jedi Blue

Abstract

The digital era profoundly impacted on various social aspects, placing technology at the centre of the society. Innovation becomes the watchword, both by regularity and by the speed with which it occurs. The time window for launching new legislations does not follow this speed and, therefore, there are constant cases of investigation of competition rules’ breaching by the technological giants. In March 2022, the European Commission began an investigation of the Jedi Blue’s agreement, due to the suspicion that it granted Meta privileges in Google's online advertising services, in exchange for exclusivity. Only eight months later, the decision was to close this case, without any punishment for either company. It seems that, even if the infringements took place, the lack of longevity of the dominant positions in the digital markets has allowed consumers to enjoy the benefits from this partnership. Still, the Jedi Blue’s agreement may potentially prove to be harmful in the long-term: it is up to the European Commission to remain vigilant should this occur. The outcomes of legal actions in cases like this one may profoundly change the functioning of digital markets, notably in the face of abuse of dominant positions. The solution will not be to limit the market power of platforms, as this may diminish consumer welfare, but to pay particular attention to the behaviour of these companies in their respective activities.

Date of Award	12 Jul 2023
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Joana Pinho (Supervisor)