The European Commission has fined Google a total of €890m for breaches of EU competition rules linked to its search results and app store practices. The bloc said the company had given preferential treatment to its own services, including shopping and hotel offers, while limiting app developers’ ability to direct users towards cheaper options elsewhere.
The fine was split between €460m for search-related conduct and €430m for the app store breach. Brussels ordered Google to treat third-party services in a fair and non-discriminatory way, and to allow developers to offer alternatives outside its own app store.
The decision is likely to intensify tensions with Washington, with Donald Trump’s administration expected to view the move as another challenge to U.S. technology firms. The EU argues it has a sovereign right to regulate companies operating in its market, while Google says the ruling harms European businesses and consumers.
The case is part of a broader crackdown under the Digital Markets Act, which Brussels says is needed to curb the power of dominant digital platforms. Google can appeal, but the ruling underlines the EU’s determination to force compliance from Big Tech firms operating in Europe.
