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EU fines Google another US$1 billion, US-EU technology regulatory friction may escalate

2026-07-25·newswire-us-stock-183001
EU fines Google another US$1 billion, US-EU technology regulatory friction may escalate.

On Thursday (July 23) local time, the European Commission fined Google 890 million euros (about $1 billion) for manipulating search results, suppressing competitors, and preventing app developers from directing users to cheaper deals outside its Play Store.

A fine of 460 million euros (approximately $524 million) was imposed on Google for search business violations, and another 430 million euros (approximately $490 million) was imposed on Play Store violations.

In addition to the fine, the European Commission also requires Google to overhaul how it ranks competitors in search results and how it operates its Play Store. Specifically, Google must treat third-party services in a "fair and non-discriminatory" manner in search results going forward.

In addition, Google must allow app developers to freely communicate with users, promote offers and enter into contracts outside of the Google Play Store. Google must complete the rectification within 60 days.

This is the first time that Google has been punished under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), and it is also the third time that the EU has punished a company under this act after Apple and Meta were punished last year.

According to the DMA, when a large platform has 45 million active users and 10,000 commercial users, with European revenue exceeding 7.5 billion euros or a market value of US$75 billion in the past three fiscal years, the EU can classify it as a "gatekeeper" enterprise and impose a series of strict obligations.

The DMA allows regulators to fine companies up to 10% of their global annual turnover.

The European Commission said that Google's search business rectification plan has made "substantial progress" in compliance, and the Play Store rectification plan has made "good progress." The European Commission also stated that it will continue to have a dialogue with Google to discuss how this decision will affect Google’s “AI Overview” and “AI Model”.

Google said the changes required by the EU would weaken its products and harm European businesses and consumers.

Kent Walker, Google's president of global affairs, said in a statement: "To comply, we had to remove real-time search features that European users love, such as real-time prices and direct availability information for hotels, flights, and restaurants, while also dismantling security protection mechanisms on Google Play." He added: "This is not fair

competition, but a downgrade of the product driven by a small group of complainants who are only looking out for their own interests." The latest fine brings the EU's cumulative penalties against Google to more than $12 billion.

Or intensify tensions between the United States and Europe The penalty comes just one day before the White House is expected to announce a new round of tariffs. Previously, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer warned the EU not to continue imposing tariffs on U.S. technology companies.

In recent years, the EU has strengthened its supervision of large technology companies, which has repeatedly triggered criticism from the United States. The United States has repeatedly pressured the EU to relax its technology regulatory rules and even threatened to impose tariffs. According to media reports, 25 members of the U.S.

Congress recently wrote to U.S. President Trump urging him to take action on EU technology regulatory rules, including launching a trade investigation. The 25 lawmakers, all Republicans, believe that the EU's digital regulatory policies unfairly target large U.S. technology companies.

#Stocks #Apple #Meta #Google #AI

Full text

EU fines Google another US$1 billion, US-EU technology regulatory friction may escalate

[The EU fines Google another US$1 billion, US-European technology regulatory friction may escalate] On Thursday (July 23) local time, the European Commission fined Google 890 million euros (approximately US$1 billion) for manipulating search results, suppressing competitors, and preventing app developers from guiding users outside its Play Store for cheaper deals.

On Thursday (July 23) local time, the European Commission fined Google 890 million euros (about $1 billion) for manipulating search results, suppressing competitors, and preventing app developers from directing users to cheaper deals outside its Play Store. A fine of 460 million euros (approximately $524 million) was imposed on Google for search business violations, and another 430 million euros (approximately $490 million) was imposed on Play Store violations. In addition to the fine, the European Commission also requires Google to overhaul how it ranks competitors in search results and how it operates its Play Store. Specifically, Google must treat third-party services in a "fair and non-discriminatory" manner in search results going forward. In addition, Google must allow app developers to freely communicate with users, promote offers and enter into contracts outside of the Google Play Store. Google must complete the rectification within 60 days. This is the first time that Google has been punished under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), and it is also the third time that the EU has punished a company under this act after Apple and Meta were punished last year. According to the DMA, when a large platform has 45 million active users and 10,000 commercial users, with European revenue exceeding 7.5 billion euros or a market value of US$75 billion in the past three fiscal years, the EU can classify it as a "gatekeeper" enterprise and impose a series of strict obligations. The DMA allows regulators to fine companies up to 10% of their global annual turnover. The European Commission said that Google's search business rectification plan has made "substantial progress" in compliance, and the Play Store rectification plan has made "good progress." The European Commission also stated that it will continue to have a dialogue with Google to discuss how this decision will affect Google’s “AI Overview” and “AI Model”. Google said the changes required by the EU would weaken its products and harm European businesses and consumers. Kent Walker, Google's president of global affairs, said in a statement: "To comply, we had to remove real-time search features that European users love, such as real-time prices and direct availability information for hotels, flights, and restaurants, while also dismantling security protection mechanisms on Google Play." He added: "This is not fair competition, but a downgrade of the product driven by a small group of complainants who are only looking out for their own interests." The latest fine brings the EU's cumulative penalties against Google to more than $12 billion. Or intensify tensions between the United States and Europe The penalty comes just one day before the White House is expected to announce a new round of tariffs. Previously, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer warned the EU not to continue imposing tariffs on U.S. technology companies. In recent years, the EU has strengthened its supervision of large technology companies, which has repeatedly triggered criticism from the United States. The United States has repeatedly pressured the EU to relax its technology regulatory rules and even threatened to impose tariffs. According to media reports, 25 members of the U.S. Congress recently wrote to U.S. President Trump urging him to take action on EU technology regulatory rules, including launching a trade investigation. The 25 lawmakers, all Republicans, believe that the EU's digital regulatory policies unfairly target large U.S. technology companies.

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