"The European Union has imposed a penalty of 2.95 billion euros ($3.45bn) on Google for favouring its own advertising services, marking the fourth time the tech giant has been fined in its decade-long fight with the bloc's competition regulators. The European Commission accused Google of distorting competition in the 27-nation bloc after investigating a complaint from the European Publishers Council, moving to rein in the tech firm despite threats of retaliation from United States President Donald Trump."
"The Commission said Google favoured its own online display technology services to the detriment of rivals and online publishers and that it has abused its market power from 2014 until today. Google abused its dominant position in adtech, harming publishers, advertisers, and consumers. This behaviour is illegal under EU antitrust rules, Ribera said on Friday. Regulators had been probing Google over adtech since 2021 and in 2023 recommended the company sell part of its ad services to ensure fair competition."
"Google, a subsidiary of US tech giant Alphabet, criticised the EU decision and said it would challenge it in court. Lee-Anne Mulholland, the firm's global head of regulatory affairs, said it required changes that will hurt thousands of European businesses by making it harder for them to make money. There's nothing anticompetitive in providing services for ad buyers and sellers, and there are more alternatives to our services than ever before, she added."
EU regulators imposed a €2.95bn fine on Google for favouring its own advertising services, finding distortion of competition across the 27-nation bloc. The investigation followed a complaint from the European Publishers Council and concluded Google abused market power in adtech from 2014 until today, harming publishers, advertisers, and consumers. Regulators had probed adtech since 2021 and in 2023 recommended Google sell parts of its ad services to restore competition. The enforcement decision was briefly delayed amid internal EU concerns about effects on a recent US-EU trade deal and promised tariff reductions on cars. Google said it will challenge the ruling and warned required changes would hurt thousands of European businesses.
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