EU fines Google $3.45 billion

⚖️ The European Commission has announced a record antitrust fine of €3 billion ($3.45 billion) against Google.

The European Commission has announced a record antitrust fine of €3 billion ($3.45 billion) against Google. This is the second-largest fine in EU history – the first also went to Google: in 2018, the company paid $5 billion for Android-related abuses.

According to the Commission, since 2014 Google has engaged in anti-competitive practices in the digital advertising market, forcing businesses to operate through its own exchange. As a result, the company gained an advantage, while competitors were placed at a disadvantage. Google now has 60 days to propose a solution to the conflict of interest. Among the possible measures is even the sale of some services, though the Commission is open to hearing proposals from the corporation itself.

European Commission Vice President Teresa Ribera emphasized: “When markets fail, public institutions must act to prevent abuse of power by dominant players. True freedom means a level playing field where everyone competes equally, and citizens have a genuine right to choose.”

Google, in turn, called the fine “unjustified” and vowed to appeal. Company Vice President Lee-Ann Mulholland stated that the Commission’s demands would “harm thousands of European companies by making it harder for them to turn a profit.” She added that there are “plenty of alternatives” in the market, and that providing services to advertisers and platforms “is not anti-competitive.”

This is not the first time Google has faced regulatory challenges.

• In 2024, a U.S. court found the company guilty of illegally monopolizing the search market and ordered it to separate its Chrome browser. The ruling was later softened, requiring Google only to share search data with competitors.
• In the U.S., the company was also fined for illegally collecting Android user data.
• In September 2025, the French data protection regulator fined Google €325 million for violations of cookie-use rules.
  
  

📌 Experts note that Brussels’ actions could strain EU-U.S. relations. Bloomberg recalls that President Donald Trump’s administration had already criticized the EU for putting pressure on American corporations.