EU prepares record DMA fine against Google over Search self-preferencing claims

The European Union is preparing a record Digital Markets Act fine against Google over claims that the company favors its own services in Search results. The penalty has not been formally announced yet, but a Reuters report says officials are considering a high triple-digit million euro fine.

The case focuses on whether Alphabet’s Google gives preferential treatment to services such as Google Shopping, Google Flights, Google Hotels, and other Google-owned products when users search online. The European Commission raised those concerns in its March 2025 preliminary findings, arguing that Google Search may not treat rival services in a fair and non-discriminatory way.

If adopted, the fine would become the largest penalty yet under the Digital Markets Act. The law targets the power of major online gatekeepers and bans practices that make digital markets less fair or less contestable.

Why the EU is targeting Google Search

The European Commission says gatekeepers cannot use their core platform services to push users toward their own products over rival services. For Google, the concern centers on how Search displays and ranks specialized results.

Rivals in travel, shopping, hotels, and local search have long argued that Google’s own boxes, modules, and vertical search features gain more visibility than competing services. The Commission’s March 2025 findings said Alphabet does not comply with the DMA’s ban on self-preferencing in Google Search.

Google rejects the Commission’s approach. The company has argued that changes already made under the DMA have weakened Search for European users, while EU regulators say the main goal is compliance rather than punishment.

Key details at a glance

Item	Details
Company	Alphabet’s Google
Regulation	Digital Markets Act
Main issue	Alleged self-preferencing in Google Search
Reported fine	High triple-digit million euro range
Status	Pending, not formally announced
Expected timing	Before the EU summer break, according to Reuters
Potential DMA penalty cap	Up to 10% of global annual turnover for a first breach

Why this could become the biggest DMA penalty yet

The reported penalty would exceed the EU’s earlier DMA fines against Apple and Meta. In April 2025, the Commission fined Apple €500 million and Meta €200 million in the first major penalties under the new law.

The Commission’s Apple and Meta decision showed that Brussels is willing to move from investigations to penalties when it believes gatekeepers have not changed their conduct. A Google Search fine would be more politically sensitive because Search sits at the center of the web economy.

The DMA gives the Commission power to fine gatekeepers up to 10% of global annual turnover for non-compliance. Repeat breaches can bring higher exposure, while systematic violations can lead to stronger remedies.

Google is already under wider EU pressure

The pending Search decision is not the only EU case putting pressure on Google. In April, the Commission also proposed measures that would require Google to share certain search data with third-party search engines and qualifying AI search tools under the DMA.

That separate search-data proposal covers access to data such as ranking, query, click, and view information on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms. The Commission says this could help rival search engines improve their services and challenge Google’s position.

Google has strongly opposed that idea, arguing that sharing search data could create privacy risks for users. The debate shows how the EU’s Google cases now extend beyond ranking and into the data advantages that support modern search competition.

How this differs from older Google antitrust cases

Google has already faced major EU antitrust penalties, but this case would stand apart because it falls under the newer DMA framework. Traditional antitrust cases often take years and focus on past abuse of dominance. The DMA works more like a rulebook for gatekeepers, with obligations that companies must follow in advance.

In September 2025, the Commission imposed a €2.95 billion antitrust fine on Google over abusive practices in online advertising technology. That case used EU competition rules, not the DMA.

The Search case is different because it tests whether the DMA can quickly change the behavior of a dominant online platform. Regulators want Google to adjust how it presents its own services next to competitors, not only pay a fine after the fact.

What the fine could mean for users and rivals

For European users, the case could change how Google Search displays results for shopping, hotels, flights, local listings, and other specialized queries. Users may see more comparison services, rival platforms, or third-party links in areas where Google’s own results currently appear prominently.

For rivals, a strong EU decision could increase visibility in Search results and reduce dependence on paid placement. The Commission’s broader DMA search measures also suggest that Brussels wants competitors to gain both better placement opportunities and better access to useful search data.

For Google, the risk goes beyond the reported fine. The company may need to make further design and ranking changes in Europe if the Commission concludes that earlier remedies did not go far enough.

The political stakes are rising

The case also lands during a tense period for EU-US tech relations. Washington has often criticized European enforcement actions against American technology companies, while Brussels argues that the DMA applies to gatekeepers based on market power, not nationality.

The Commission’s earlier DMA penalties against Apple and Meta already drew attention from US policymakers. A larger Google fine would likely intensify that debate because it targets one of the most important services in the global internet economy.

The DMA gives Brussels a faster enforcement tool than older antitrust procedures. This case will show whether the EU can use that tool to force meaningful changes in Search, where even small design choices can affect traffic, revenue, and visibility for thousands of businesses.

What happens next

The final decision still rests with the European Commission. Reuters reported that the announcement could come before the EU’s summer break, but the exact timing and final amount remain subject to the Commission’s process.

Google may still submit further compliance proposals or challenge any final penalty once issued. The company has appealed or contested several previous EU competition decisions, including the Google adtech decision.

For now, the main point is clear: the EU is moving closer to its most significant DMA enforcement action against Google Search. The outcome could reshape how Search results appear in Europe and set the tone for future gatekeeper cases.

FAQ