Google faces high triple-digit million euro EU fine before summer, Handelsblatt reports

The European Commission is preparing a fine for Google under the Digital Markets Act, potentially reaching the high hundreds of millions of euros and becoming the largest penalty under the bloc’s regime. The case centers on allegations that Google favors its own services, including shopping, travel, and local search, when ranking results. An investigation opened in March 2024 concluded that Google’s ranking practices amounted to prohibited self-preferencing under Article 6. A separate proceeding opened in November 2025 concerns alleged demotion of news publishers in search results. A decision in the self-preferencing case is expected before the Commission’s August recess. The proposed fine would be below the DMA’s maximum range, reflecting a stated preference for compliance over maximum penalties. Google disputes the case and argues that the demanded remedies would significantly worsen the user experience for European searchers.

"The European Commission is preparing to fine Google a sum running into the high hundreds of millions of euros for breaching the Digital Markets Act, according to a Handelsblatt report on Monday, in what would be the largest penalty ever issued under the bloc's new tech competition regime."

"The Commission's case rests on the long-running complaint that Google favours its own services, in particular shopping, travel and local search, when ranking results. That investigation was formally opened in March 2024 as one of the first non-compliance probes under the DMA. Brussels concluded in early findings that Google's ranking practices amounted to self-preferencing prohibited by Article 6 of the regulation."

"Under the DMA, the Commission has the power to fine designated gatekeepers up to 10% of their global annual turnover for a first offence and up to 20% for repeat breaches. On Alphabet's most recently reported revenues, a 10% cap would clear $35bn. The figure under consideration is therefore at the bottom of the available range, which European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier has previously framed as a deliberate choice: the Commission, he has said, is more interested in compliance than in maximum penalties."

"Google has objected to the case on substantive grounds. The company has described the changes Brussels is demanding to its search product as "the biggest downgrade in the product's history," arguing that the proposed remedies will damage the user experience for European searchers."

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