EU Fines Google €890 Million for Antitrust Violations

The European Union has fined Google €890 million ($1 billion) for violating digital antitrust regulations. The tech giant allegedly used Google Play and its search engine to funnel consumers to its own services, disadvantaging competitors.

This represents another significant action by Brussels against Big Tech companies. The EU has been proactive in addressing concerns with major corporations from Silicon Valley to Beijing, despite threats from then-President Donald Trump. Trump’s administration had already expressed criticism of the EU’s digital regulations.

Google recently lost an appeal against a separate €4.5 billion antitrust penalty. This fine was associated with its Android operating system, which allegedly restricted competition and consumer options.

The European Commission, responsible for EU antitrust enforcement, justified this fine as a consumer protection measure. “The best products should win because of their quality, not because of ownership of the search engine,” stated Teresa Ribera, the commission’s Executive Vice President.

“European consumers should have the right to learn about the best offers from app developers, regardless of app store commissions,” Ribera continued.

Kent Walker, Google’s President of Global Affairs, criticized the penalty. He claimed it resulted from a few “self-serving complainants” and argued it would harm European businesses and users by removing popular features and security measures.

The EU identifies tech giants such as Amazon, Apple, Alphabet (Google’s parent company), Meta, Microsoft, and ByteDance (TikTok’s owner) as “gatekeepers”. These companies are said to control consumer access to various services.

“In the EU, competition must be fair. Gatekeepers have responsibilities to maintain an equitable market, and consumers must have choices,” stated European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier.

In 2025, Alphabet’s revenue was reported at $403 billion.