Brussels (ANSA) – The EU stands firm against the pressure from Donald Trump and has imposed a fine of 2.95 billion euros on Google after several days of high-level tension at the Berlaymont. The EU executive determined that Mountain View breached antitrust regulations by prioritizing its own online display advertising technology over that of competing service providers, advertisers, and online publishers.
The severity and duration of the infringement, along with previous penalties for dominant position abuse, led the European Commission to impose this significant fine. Brussels has instructed Google to halt these self-preferencing practices and to take measures to resolve conflicts of interest throughout the adtech supply chain. The US company must propose solutions to the identified issues within 60 days.
“Should they fail to comply, we will not hesitate to take further action,” warned the European Commission’s Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera. Google responded vehemently, labeling the decision as “erroneous,” already facing similar challenges in the US. “This unjustified penalty imposes changes that will negatively impact thousands of European businesses, complicating their profit generation,” stated Google’s Vice President and Global Head of Regulatory Affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, who announced plans to appeal.
Trump reacted swiftly, threatening new tariffs on the EU for what he deemed an “unjust” ruling against Google. “As I have repeatedly stated, my Administration will not tolerate these discriminatory actions,” Trump posted on Truth, warning of a potential proceeding under Section 301 to contest the unjust sanctions on American companies.
The decision to impose the fine followed an internal disagreement within the Commission, particularly between Competition Commissioner Ribera and Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, who leads negotiations for the trade agreement with the United States. According to Mlex, Šefčovič opposed the fine, advocating for its suspension due to concerns over possible retaliatory actions from the US, suggesting it be delayed until September 5.
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