Legal Win for Proxistore Against Tech Giant

 

In a major legal win, Belgian start-up Proxistore achieved a significant courtroom success against Google. A Brussels court ordered the freezing of €76 million ($83 million) of Google's European funds after the company was accused of unfairly blocking Proxistore's advertising campaigns. The compensation was calculated based on one million euros for each hour the start-up’s operations were disrupted.

 

Cross-Border Enforcement Involving Irish Authorities

 

As Google's European base is located in Ireland, implementing the Belgian court’s decision required cross-border enforcement. The Irish Department of Justice subsequently froze the funds in Google’s Dublin-based account, where the assets will remain inaccessible until all appeal options are exhausted.

 

Intellectual Property Dispute at the Core

 

The origin of this legal battle traces back to a long-standing intellectual property dispute filed by Proxistore in 2018. The start-up, which specializes in localized online advertising, alleged that Google retaliated by disabling their ad campaigns. Google counters that Proxistore failed to pay its invoices — an accusation the start-up firmly denies.

 

Implications for Tech Companies and Legal Practitioners

 

This case is a wake-up call for the tech industry, revealing the growing need to respect intellectual property rights and navigate complex law frameworks across borders. Lawyers and legal professionals stress the importance of contractual due diligence and compliance with local and international regulations to avoid similar disputes.

 

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