EU fines Google €890 million for favouring its own services in Search and restricting app developers on Play Store

The fines

On 23 July 2026, the European Commission adopted two non-compliance decisions against Google under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), imposing fines totalling €890 million. The first, €460 million, targets Google Search for giving preferential visibility to the company's own services such as shopping, hotels, transport and sports. The second, €430 million, addresses restrictions on app developers using Google Play Store, preventing them from directing users to cheaper alternative purchase channels. The investigation was opened on 25 March 2024. Google now has 60 days to comply; failure would trigger periodic penalty payments of up to 5% of its global turnover. The fines represent 0.22% of the group's global revenue. The DMA has previously resulted in a €500 million fine for Apple and a €200 million fine for Meta, both imposed in April 2025.

The best products should succeed because they are better, not because they belong to the company that runs the search engine.

Search self-preferencing

The Commission found that Google's search engine continued to favour its own services over rivals, giving them greater visibility in results. The contested services include shopping, hotel bookings, transport information and sports content. Brussels requires Google to ensure fair and non-discriminatory treatment of competitors' services in search results. The Commission acknowledged some progress in how Google presents its free services, shopping ads and content-related services such as sports, and noted the company's proposals on applying the decision's principles to AI Overviews and AI Mode. These changes will be monitored under the DMA framework.

Play Store restrictions

The second infringement concerns Google Play Store. The Commission determined that Google imposed restrictions on app developers, limiting their ability to communicate and promote offers freely and to conclude contracts with users through distribution channels of their choice, including third-party app stores. While Google may charge a fee for facilitating the initial acquisition of a new customer via Google Play, the magnitude of the referral fees and the duration of the charging period exceeded what the DMA permits. Google must now allow developers to inform users about prices and offers available outside the store and to conclude contracts directly.

Reactions from Google and Washington

Google pushed back against the decision. Kent Walker, the company's president of Global Affairs, said the compliance measures affect features already used by consumers. The company warned that some real-time tools for hotels, flights and restaurants could be removed or limited, and that new rules might reduce certain safety protections in Play Store. Google left open the option of a legal challenge.

The fines also drew a sharp response from the United States. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer branded the decision a driver of trade uncertainty and accused the EU of creating fog rather than guardrails, despite its rhetoric of stability and predictability. The clash comes as both sides seek to consolidate a trade truce signed a year ago after months of tariff disputes.

The decision drives trade uncertainty.

What happens next

Google has 60 days to end the identified infringements. If it fails, the Commission can impose periodic penalty payments of up to 5% of Alphabet's global turnover. The company may also appeal the decisions. The Commission will continue to monitor Google's compliance, including the presentation of free services, shopping ads and the integration of AI Overviews and AI Mode. With this penalty, Google's total EU antitrust fines now exceed €10 billion, following earlier penalties of €4.13 billion for Android and €2.95 billion for digital advertising.