Google ordered by the Paris Commercial Court (TAE) to pay €19 million in damages: even without a contractual link, a French subsidiary can be held liable where there are indications that it took part in causing the harm.
The TAE has just ordered the Google group to pay the Rossel group €19 million (including €5 million for non-material loss and €400,000 in legal costs) – a judgment of 8 December 2025 well worth reading in full!
This newly available judgment will no doubt prompt plenty of commentary, but one point already stands out, on the court’s jurisdiction and the application of French law. The TAE rejected the Google group’s arguments challenging its jurisdiction on the ground that its French subsidiary, Google France, could not be regarded as a “genuine defendant” (we quote), given that the contracts at the heart of the dispute involved other Google group entities.
Rejecting that argument, the TAE held that Google France forms part of an economic unit as defined by the CJEU, noting “that Google France, a wholly owned subsidiary of Google LLC through Google International LLC, is under the decisive influence of Google LLC”, that its articles “include the disputed activity of intermediation in the sale of online advertising” and “that Google France took part, in its day-to-day business, in promoting the disputed activities of Google LLC”.
The Paris TAE thus confirms that a foreign subsidiary’s apparent involvement in the performance of a contract can justify bringing a claim against it and, where appropriate, holding it jointly liable with the group entities contractually bound to the claimant.
Finally, the judgment follows the French Competition Authority’s €220 million fine (plus various commitments) against Alphabet Inc., Google LLC and Google Ireland Ltd in decision No. 21-D-11 of 7 June 2021.
Serving our clients in a personal, reasonable and innovative way – Emmanuel Tricot and Gaël Peyneau, founders of the firm.
All insights
