Link to the official decision on CURIA.

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT (Grand Chamber)

4 July 2023 (*)

Table of contents

( Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Social networks – Abuse of a dominant position by the operator of such a network – Abuse which entails the processing of the personal data of the users of that network as provided for in its general terms of use – Powers of a competition authority of a Member State to find that processing is not consistent with that regulation – Reconciliation with the powers of the national data protection supervisory authorities – Article 4(3) TEU – Principle of sincere cooperation – Points (a) to (f) of the first subparagraph of Article 6(1) of Regulation 2016/679 – Whether the processing is lawful – Article 9(1) and (2) – Processing of special categories of personal data – Article 4(11) – Concept of ‘consent’ )

In Case C‑252/21,

REQUEST for a preliminary ruling under Article 267 TFEU from the Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf (Higher Regional Court, Düsseldorf, Germany), made by decision of 24 March 2021, received at the Court on 22 April 2021, in the proceedings

Meta Platforms Inc., formerly Facebook Inc.,

Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd, formerly Facebook Ireland Ltd,

Facebook Deutschland GmbH

v

Bundeskartellamt,

intervener:

Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband eV,

THE COURT (Grand Chamber),

composed of K. Lenaerts, President, L. Bay Larsen, Vice-President, A. Prechal, K. Jürimäe, C. Lycourgos, M. Safjan, L.S. Rossi (Rapporteur), D. Gratsias and M.L. Arastey Sahún, Presidents of Chambers, J.-C. Bonichot, S. Rodin, F. Biltgen, M. Gavalec, Z. Csehi and O. Spineanu-Matei, Judges,

Advocate General: A. Rantos,

Registrar: D. Dittert, Head of Unit,

having regard to the written procedure and further to the hearing on 10 May 2022,

after considering the observations submitted on behalf of: