Google might face a record fine in the EU over abusing market dominance

The EU says it is more interested in making Google comply rather than imposing fines.

The tug of war between Google and the EU Commission is ongoing, and the tech giant is now on the verge of facing fines of hundreds of millions of dollars if it fails to meet the EU regulators’ demands.

According to a recent report by the German outlet Handelsblatt, the EU Commission, which has previously accused Google of violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA), is now preparing to impose a record fine on the tech giant, with proceedings nearing completion. Alphabet’s Google could face hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties if it fails to implement the changes demanded by the regulators.

The antitrust case against Google was initiated in 2025 after EU regulators accused the company of favoring its own services in search results, giving it an unfair advantage over rivals.

Handelsblatt added that EU officials are unanimous in their support for imposing a record fine on Google, but the final decision has yet to be made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The final verdict is expected to be announced before the summer recess, with the German outlet describing it as the “highest fine the EU has ever imposed for a violation of the new Digital Markets Act (DMA).”

Meanwhile, in a statement to Reuters, EU Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said the agency is more interested in ensuring Google complies with the rules rather than imposing hefty fines on the company. “Even with ‌our negotiations on future solutions, we will not hesitate to move to the next steps as soon as possible,” Regnier added.

On the other hand, a Google spokesperson described changes made to the company’s search business under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) as the “biggest downgrade in the product’s history,” saying they have led to a “second-rate experience for Europeans.”

In May this year, the EU Commission announced that Google’s proposal to address the concerns had failed to meet the regulator’s requirements. As a result, the company was given additional time to offer a new solution.

Source

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Posted Tuesday 26 May 2026 at 5:58 pm AEST (my time).

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