EU Poised for Record Fine Against Google Under Digital Markets Act

Image credit: Abondance

The European Union is preparing to fine Google hundreds of millions of euros under its Digital Markets Act for allegedly favoring its own services in search results, according to reports.

This potential penalty would mark the largest fine imposed under the DMA to date, signaling a significant escalation in the bloc’s regulatory efforts against anti-competitive practices by major technology firms.

The core accusation centers on Google’s practice of self-preferencing, where services like Google Shopping, Maps, and Flights are displayed more prominently than those of competitors within its search engine results.

The European Commission launched an official investigation into these alleged self-preferencing practices in March 2025.

A decision from the Commission is anticipated before the summer break, German economic daily Handelsblatt reported.

Google has previously stated that changes made to comply with the DMA represent “the biggest downgrade in product history” and negatively impact European users.

Thomas Regnier, a spokesperson for the European Commission, indicated that the primary objective of the DMA is to achieve compliance rather than solely to levy financial penalties.

However, Regnier added that the Commission would act swiftly if necessary to ensure adherence to the new regulations.

Google has faced substantial fines from the EU in the past for various antitrust infringements.

These included a 2.7 billion euro fine in 2017 related to Google Shopping and a 3.5 billion euro penalty concerning programmatic advertising practices.

Source: Abondance