Brussels is preparing to issue new fines against Google, amounting to hundreds of millions of euros, as the European Union steps up its enforcement actions against major technology companies. This comes shortly after the EU's top court dismissed Google's appeal against a landmark $4.5 billion antitrust fine for abusing the dominance of its Android mobile operating system.
The initial $4.34 billion penalty, imposed by the European Commission in 2018, was later reduced to $4.125 billion by a lower court in 2022. The European Court of Justice's recent decision on Thursday finalized this amount, confirming that Google had engaged in anti-competitive practices by requiring smartphone manufacturers to pre-install Google Search and Chrome to access its Play Store, and by imposing restrictions on devices running alternative Android versions.
This $4.125 billion fine is one of several antitrust penalties, totaling over $8 billion, that the European Commission has levied against Google between 2017 and 2019. Previously, Google faced a $2.95 billion fine for anti-competitive practices in its advertising technology business and a $2.4 billion fine for abusing its search market dominance with its shopping comparison service.
The focus of EU regulators is now shifting towards enforcement under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which came into effect in 2024. Google is among seven tech companies designated as "gatekeepers" under the DMA. The EU executive has been investigating Google Search since March 2024 under the DMA for allegedly favoring its own services, such as Google Flights, in search results, with a decision on a new fine expected soon.
Analysts note that while traditional antitrust enforcement remains a focus, the regulatory landscape is increasingly shaped by the DMA and Digital Services Act (DSA). This continued scrutiny highlights the EU's leading role in pushing to rein in the market power of dominant digital platforms, affecting not only Google but also other major tech firms like Apple and Meta.
