EU prepares record fine on Google under Digital Markets Act for search self‑preferencing and app developer restrictions
Executive summary: EU antitrust officials are preparing to charge Google with violating the Digital Markets Act by favoring its own services in search results and limiting app developers’ ability to inform users about alternative payment options. A fine could reach up to 10% of Google’s global revenue, marking the largest DMA penalty to date and compelling the company to alter its search and Play Store policies across Europe.
Who is involved: The European Commission, Google’s parent Alphabet, app developers operating in the EU, and EU competition authorities are the primary parties.
Likely next: The Commission is expected to issue a formal statement of objections by September 2026, after which Google may respond, face a fine, and be required to implement compliance measures within the following year.
European Union regulators are moving to impose what could be the largest fine ever levied under the Digital Markets Act on Google, alleging the company unfairly promotes its own services in Google Search and curtails what app developers can disclose to users. The potential penalty stems from ongoing DMA investigations into Google’s search and Play Store practices. If imposed, the fine would not only hit Google’s finances but could force structural changes to how its search results and app store operate across Europe. The case underscores the EU’s increasingly aggressive stance toward dominant digital platforms.
Timeline
- — Brussels is coming for Google — and the bill could be huge (Politico Europe)
- — Google burning through cash with spiralling AI costs (BBC Technology)
- — Google justifies its massive AI spending with a booming cloud business (TechCrunch)
- — Alphabet: Google wächst rasant – und enttäuscht Investoren trotzdem (Handelsblatt)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- European Commission to deliver statement of objections to Google by September 15, 2026
- Potential fine announcement expected by December 2026, amounting to up to 10% of Google’s 2025 global revenue (~$30 bn)
- Google may be required to allow rival search engines in Android settings by Q1 2027
- App developers could gain permission to steer users to external payment systems by mid‑2027
Sectors affected
- online search
- mobile app distribution
- digital advertising
- cloud services
Regulatory implications
- Enforcement of DMA Article 5 on self‑preferencing, with fines up to 10% of global turnover
- Possible mandate for search choice screens on Android devices in the EU
- Requirements to let app developers inform users of alternative payment methods outside Google Play
Historical parallels
- 2018 EU Android antitrust case – €4.34 bn fine for blocking rival search services
- 2017 EU Google Shopping case – €2.42 bn fine for favoring its own comparison‑shopping service
- 2020 US Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit alleging monopolistic practices in search and advertising
Key entities
Sources
- Brussels is coming for Google — and the bill could be huge — Politico Europe
- Google burning through cash with spiralling AI costs — BBC Technology
- Google justifies its massive AI spending with a booming cloud business — TechCrunch
- Alphabet: Google wächst rasant – und enttäuscht Investoren trotzdem — Handelsblatt
Related cases
- European ad market grows but revenues concentrate in global digital platforms
- Google lets users disable Gemini AI in Gmail, highlighting growing demand for control over AI features
- European telecom and cloud firms are positioning themselves to build a homegrown hyperscale ecosystem capable of challenging US tech giants
- Alphabet's first-ever negative free cash flow highlights the financial strain of its AI spending spree
- Alphabet's $205B capex surge alongside a $514B Google Cloud backlog signals a major infrastructure build‑out to capture AI‑driven cloud demand
- The construction of 60 new U.S. data centers by Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Meta will generate emissions comparable to 27 coal‑fired power plants, representing roughly 7% of the nation’s annual output