EU Fines Google Nearly EUR3 Billion in Adtech Probe

The European Commission has fined Google nearly EUR3 billion in an antitrust probe into its adtech business. The fine is related to allegations that Google abused its dominant position in the digital advertising market by restricting competition. The company has been accused of favoring its own ad exchange over rival exchanges and limiting access to data for third-party ad services. Google has not commented on the fine yet.

The European Commission has imposed a €2.95 billion fine on Google for alleged antitrust violations in its adtech business. The fine, announced on Friday, stems from accusations that Google abused its dominant position in the digital advertising market by restricting competition. Specifically, Google is accused of favoring its own ad exchange over rival exchanges and limiting access to data for third-party ad services [1].

The European Commission, in a statement, asserted that Google's practices created an unfair advantage for its own ad technology services, thereby harming online publishers and competitors. Teresa Ribera, the EU antitrust commissioner, underscored the need for a level playing field, stating, "When markets fail, public institutions must act to prevent dominant players from abusing their power" [2].

Google has not yet commented on the fine but has indicated that it will appeal the decision. Lee-Anne Mulholland, vice president for regulatory affairs at Google, expressed concerns that the fine and required changes would negatively impact thousands of European businesses [2].

This fine comes amidst tense EU-US trade relations, with President Donald Trump repeatedly criticizing the bloc's efforts to rein in Silicon Valley giants. While Google faces antitrust scrutiny worldwide, a US judge recently ruled that its search business would not need to be broken up to address the Department of Justice's allegations [2].

The EU had previously warned Google in 2023 about its dominance in advertising technology. Margrethe Vestager, Ribera's predecessor, had suggested that a mandatory divestment of part of Google's business would be necessary to address the issues [2].

References:
[1] https://www.dw.com/en/european-commission-fines-google-in-ad-tech-antitrust-case/a-73899986
[2] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-05/google-fined-almost-3-billion-by-eu-for-abusing-adtech-power