The European Union is moving to impose what would become its highest fine under the Digital Markets Act, with Brussels preparing to penalise Alphabet (GOOG) by a sum expected to reach billions of euros.
The decision, reported by Germany’s Handelsblatt citing Commission sources, is nearing completion and is expected to be formally announced before the summer break.
The investigation centres on long standing concerns that Google promotes its own services within search results, giving preferential treatment to its own offerings while limiting visibility for competitors.
The formal non compliance probe was launched on March 25, 2024, and is intended to ensure Europe’s dominant search engine complies with the EU’s Digital Markets Act framework.
The case forms part of a broader enforcement trend, with EU penalties against major US technology companies exceeding €7 billion over the past two years.
For Alphabet, this comes amid rising regulatory pressure on both sides of the Atlantic, with the company also facing potential fines linked to Google Play and alleged breaches of DMA billing rules.
