EU Prepares Record DMA Fine Against Google Over Self-Preferencing in Search

Brussels Lines Up Its Biggest DMA Penalty Yet

The European Union is preparing to impose a record fine on Alphabet's Google under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), according to a report from Germany's Handelsblatt citing sources within the European Commission. The penalty, expected to reach the high hundreds of millions of euros, would be the largest ever levied under the law since enforcement began in March 2024.

The case targets a practice known as self-preferencing, where Google is alleged to rank its own services, including shopping, travel and local search, above those of rivals. Regulators concluded in early findings that this conduct breaches Article 6 of the DMA, which sets out specific behavioural obligations for so-called gatekeeper platforms. The investigation was opened in March 2024 as one of the first non-compliance probes under the new regime.

A Decision Nearing Completion

The Commission's decision is reportedly close to finalisation, with an official announcement anticipated before the bloc's August recess. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is said to have the final say on the size of the penalty.

The move comes despite Google's efforts to settle. In early May, Google proposed changes to its policies to address Commission concerns and invited stakeholders to comment. The Commission had earlier granted Google additional time to respond after finding an initial compliance proposal insufficient. A Google spokesperson argued that changes already made to Search under the DMA represent "the biggest downgrade in the product's history," creating what the company called a second-rate experience for European users.

Pressure From Publishers and Rivals

European publishers and tech firms have grown frustrated with the pace of enforcement. In March, a coalition including the European Publishers Council, whose members include Axel Springer and News Corp, wrote to EU leaders urging regulators to conclude the investigation and impose a penalty. The search case is widely viewed as a crucial test of how far the DMA can go in policing self-preferencing by dominant platforms.

Part of a Wider Regulatory Battle

The planned fine is the latest chapter in Brussels' long-running clashes with Google. In September 2025, the Commission fined the company 2.95 billion euros for abusing its dominance in advertising technology, though that case relied on older antitrust rules rather than the DMA. The largest penalty under the related Digital Services Act so far was a 120 million euro fine imposed on X in December 2025. A DMA fine in the high hundreds of millions would mark a sharp escalation in the Commission's willingness to wield its newer regulatory tools against the world's biggest technology companies.