Google fined €890 million under EU Big Tech rules

Google has been fined a total of €890 million ($1 billion) by the European Commission for violating European Union rules designed to curb the market power of major technology companies. However, regulators also praised the company’s recent efforts to comply with the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).

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EU imposes two major fines

The European Commission issued a €460 million fine after finding that Google favoured its own services, including shopping, hotels, transport and sports, in search results.

In addition, regulators imposed a €430 million penalty over Google Play. They said the app store prevented developers from directing users to cheaper offers available through rival app stores or websites.

As a result, Google’s total EU antitrust penalties have now reached €10.38 billion over nearly two decades.

EU defends crackdown on Big Tech

EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said the bloc would continue enforcing its laws despite criticism from the United States.

Meanwhile, EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen said the Digital Markets Act aims to create fair competition and ensure equal opportunities for all businesses.

Google considers legal challenge

Google criticised the Commission’s decision and signalled it could challenge the fines in court.

The company argued that the new requirements would remove popular search features, including real-time hotel, flight and restaurant information. It also warned that changes to Google Play could weaken security protections for users.

Regulators recognise compliance progress

Despite the fines, the European Commission welcomed Google’s ongoing efforts to comply with the Digital Markets Act.

For example, Google has started testing changes to how it displays shopping, hotel, flight and sports results in Search. Moreover, it has proposed updates to Google Play that give developers greater freedom to direct customers to alternative offers.

The Commission will continue assessing these changes before deciding whether additional action is necessary.

More fines appear unlikely

For now, EU regulators described their discussions with Google as constructive. Therefore, they indicated that further financial penalties are unlikely if the company continues implementing the required changes.

The decision marks Google’s first penalties under the Digital Markets Act. Earlier, the European Commission fined Apple and Meta under the same legislation.