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Alphabet\u2019s Google was fined a total of \u20ac890 million (A$1.45 billion) on Thursday for flouting European Union rules aimed at reining in the power of Big Tech, the European Commission said.<\/p>\n
However, the US tech giant is likely to avoid fresh fines as EU regulators lauded good progress in its ongoing efforts to comply with the landmark legislation.<\/p>\n
The fines underscored Europe\u2019s determination to prevent Big Tech companies from thwarting rivals, defying US criticism and retaliatory tariff threats.<\/p>\n
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One of the two fines was for Google\u2019s favouring of its own services in shopping, hotels, transport and sports in search results.Getty Images<\/p>\n
One fine of \u20ac460 million ($750 million) was handed out to Google by the European Commission under the Digital Markets Act for favouring its own services in shopping, hotels, transport and sports results in search results.<\/p>\n
A second fine of \u20ac430 million ($700 million) targeted Google\u2019s restrictions on its app store Google Play that prevented app developers from steering users free of charge to cheaper offers on rival app stores or websites.<\/p>\n
The fines are the first for the US tech giant under the DMA but the fifth and sixth overall for anti-competitive practices, making for total penalties of \u20ac10.38 billion ($17 billion) over nearly two decades.<\/p>\n
Related Article \u201cOur duty and obligation is to comply with the laws, that our laws are fully respected,\u201d EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera told reporters when asked about US pushback.<\/p>\n \u201cThe DMA is to make sure we have a fair and level playing field. With these decisions we want to make sure there is competition,\u201d EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen told reporters.<\/p>\n Google, which has 60 days to comply with the Commission\u2019s orders to treat rivals in a fair and non-discriminatory manner and to allow app developers to steer users away from its app store, criticised the EU findings and said it might take the Commission to court.<\/p>\n \u201cTo comply, we are having to strip away real-time Search features Europeans love – like instant pricing and direct \u201cThis isn\u2019t fair competition; it\u2019s product degradation driven by a small group of self-serving complainants, with European businesses and consumers taking the hit. Regulation should improve products, not make them worse,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n More fines unlikely given \u2018constructive dialogue\u2019<\/p>\n The Commission, which acts as the EU competition enforcer, pointed to a \u201cconstructive dialogue\u201d with Google and significant progress made to comply with the DMA, indicating that daily penalties for non-compliance are likely off the table.<\/p>\n \u201cGoogle has proposed and started testing changes to how it presents its own services on Google Search for free services such as shopping, hotels and flights,\u201d the Commission said, calling it substantial progress.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Commission also notes that Google has proposed and started testing changes to how it presents shopping ads and content related services, such as sports,\u201d it said, adding it would assess the changes and continue talks with Google.<\/p>\n![\"Its](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/fb044b14539a7fd352d5b447423c89bfcf940e88.jpeg\")
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availability for hotels, flights, and restaurants – and dismantle safety protections on Google Play,\u201d Google President of Global Affairs Kent Walker said in a statement.<\/p>\n
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