EU fines Google €890 mn over breach of digital rules

24 JULY 2026

The European Union hit Google with fines totalling 890 million euros, in a move that risks escalating tensions with the United States.
An EU official said the penalties amount to just 0.22 percent of Google’s turnover.
The EU fined the U.S. tech giant 460 million euros for illegally favouring its own services — such as Google Flights and Google Hotels — over rivals in search results.
A second fine of 430 million euros was levied because Google barred app developers from showing consumers offers, free of charge, outside the Google Play Store, the European Commission said in a statement.
The penalties are the largest yet against a single company under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), 2024 the EU’s signature tech competition law.
In 2025, the EU fined Meta 200 million euros and Apple 500 million euros under the same rules.
The U.S. tech giant accused the EU of dismantling safety protections on Google Play through its enforcement.
The fines land just days before the first anniversary of a tariff deal between Washington and Brussels that had eased trade tensions.
President Donald Trump’s administration has repeatedly accused Brussels of targeting U.S. tech firms and has threatened retaliatory tariffs.

Digital Markets Act (DMA), 2024

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is a European Union (EU) law designed to make digital markets fairer and more competitive by limiting the market power of very large online platforms, known as “gatekeepers.”
Although the law entered into force in 2022 and became applicable in 2023, it was a major focus of implementation and enforcement during 2024.
The DMA aims to curb what Brussels views as Big Tech’s excesses and ensure fair competition in the digital economy.
Washington firmly objects to the DMA and other EU tech regulations.
Under the DMA, the EU can fine companies up to 10 percent of their global turnover for violations.

Digital gatekeepers

Digital gatekeepers are large technology companies—such as Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta, Microsoft, and Booking—that control access to essential online platforms like app stores, search engines, and social networks.
Under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, these dominant firms face strict rules to ensure fair competition and open markets for smaller businesses.