The European Commission has fined Google €2.95 billion (around $3.5 billion) for allegedly abusing its dominance in the advertising technology market.
Regulators say Google’s anticompetitive practices unfairly increased costs for advertisers and publishers, which may have indirectly raised prices for consumers.
The Commission has ordered Google to submit a plan within 60 days outlining how it will stop these practices. If Google fails to provide a viable solution, regulators warned they may impose stricter remedies — including the possible sale of parts of its ad tech business.
This decision follows a long-running investigation that began in June 2021 and raised the possibility of breaking up Google’s advertising operations in 2023. The case echoes similar efforts in the U.S., where the Department of Justice has also sought to dismantle parts of Google’s ad tech empire over antitrust concerns.
In response, Google called the ruling “wrong” and confirmed plans to appeal. “It imposes an unjustified fine and requires changes that will hurt thousands of European businesses by making it harder for them to make money,” said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s vice president and global head of regulatory affairs, in a statement.
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