European Commission imposes € 890 million penalty, demands changes in 60 days, and acknowledges progress that may prevent further sanctions.
The Google received a € 890 million fine, equivalent to approximately US$ 1 billion, this Thursday, July 23, 2026.
The penalty was announced by the European Commission for violations of the European Union Digital Markets Act, known by the acronym DMA.
The amount also corresponds to about R$ 5.6 billion.
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The decision involves practices adopted by the company in Google Search and the Google Play app store.
European regulators, however, acknowledged that the company has made progress in negotiations and has begun changes to comply with the bloc’s rules.
European Commission splits fine into two penalties
The total fine was divided into two penalties related to different conduct.
The first penalty, of € 460 million, was applied for practices adopted in Google Search results.
According to the European Commission, the company favored its own services in searches related to:
- Shopping;
- Hotels;
- Transport;
- Sports.
This treatment would have placed competing platforms in a less favorable position in the results presented to European users.
The second fine, of € 430 million, was applied for existing restrictions on Google Play.
These rules prevented developers from directing users for free to cheaper offers in competing stores or external sites.
Reuters had anticipated the two penalties.
Fines against Google exceed € 10 billion
The decisions represent the first fines imposed on Google based on the Digital Markets Act.
The penalties correspond, at the same time, to the fifth and sixth sanctions received by the company in the European Union for anti-competitive practices.
The total value of fines imposed on Google in the bloc reached € 10.38 billion over nearly two decades.
The head of the European Union’s antitrust area, Teresa Ribera, stated that the Commission has the duty to ensure full compliance with the laws.
The European Commissioner for Technology, Henna Virkkunen, declared that the DMA seeks to ensure fair and balanced competition conditions.
Google will have 60 days to make changes
Google has been given a deadline of 60 days to comply with the determinations presented by the European Commission.
The company must offer fair and non-discriminatory treatment to competitors displayed in search results.
Developers should also be able to direct users to offers available outside of Google Play.
Google criticized the conclusions and stated that it may appeal to the courts.
The company’s President of Global Affairs, Kent Walker, stated that the requirements may remove resources valued by European consumers.
These resources include instant information on hotel prices and availability, flights, and restaurants.
Walker also declared that the changes could weaken security mechanisms used in Google Play.
Dialogue can avoid new penalties
The European Commission highlighted Google’s progress in adapting to the DMA rules.
The company has begun testing changes in the display of its own services related to shopping, hotels, and flights.
New formats are also being evaluated for ads related to shopping, sports, and other content.
The Commission classified these changes as substantial progress.
The proposed changes for directing users on Google Play received preliminary approval from regulators.
The body will continue evaluating the tests and maintaining negotiations with the company.
Artificial intelligence also enters discussions
The principles of the decision may reach the summaries produced by Google’s artificial intelligence.
Among the tools mentioned are AI Overviews and AI Mode.
Discussions on the application of the rules to these services should continue between the company and European regulators.
The European Union states that the presented advances can reduce the risk of new sanctions.
The compliance with the determinations, however, will continue to be monitored by the European Commission.
Punishment increases tension between the European Union and the United States
European oversight against large technology companies has caused friction with the United States government.
The American president, Donald Trump, threatened to respond to the measures with trade tariffs.
The United States government considers that the European rules excessively affect American companies.
The penalties against Google represent the third application of fines based on the DMA.
Apple and Meta were also fined in April 2025.
The European Union, in turn, states that the legislation seeks to limit abuses of power and ensure greater competition in digital markets.
Do you believe that billion-dollar fines can really make the digital market more competitive or do these penalties end up harming the services offered to consumers? Leave your opinion!
