Google Faces Modest EU Antitrust Fine in Adtech Investigation

Google is set to face a modest EU antitrust fine for allegedly anti-competitive practices in its adtech business, according to Reuters. The decision follows a four-year investigation triggered by a complaint from the European Publishers Council. Charges were made in 2023 that Google favors its own advertising services over rivals.

Google Inc. (GOOGL.O) is set to receive a modest EU antitrust fine for alleged anti-competitive practices in its adtech business, according to Reuters. The decision follows a four-year investigation initiated by the European Publishers Council, which led to charges in 2023 that Google favored its own advertising services over competitors.

The EU's new antitrust chief, Teresa Ribera, is adopting a more compliance-focused approach compared to her predecessor, Margrethe Vestager. The fine, expected to be smaller than previous penalties, reflects Ribera's strategy of curbing anti-competitive practices rather than imposing large financial penalties. The investigation stems from a complaint by the European Publishers Council that Google favored its own advertising services over rivals, a practice that has drawn scrutiny from EU regulators [1].

The EU has not demanded the divestiture of any part of Google's adtech operations, unlike previous suggestions by Vestager. Google's adtech business generated $264.6 billion in revenue in 2024, accounting for 75.6% of the company's total revenue [2]. The upcoming fine is not the first regulatory action against Google, with the EU also investigating Google's AI Overviews feature and the UK's competition watchdog looking into the company's search and search advertising dominance [1].

Google has consistently challenged the EU's interpretation of the adtech sector, arguing that publishers and advertisers have numerous choices and that users choose its services voluntarily. However, the EU's enforcement actions continue to shape the digital competition landscape [1].

The broader regulatory environment is also influenced by developments in the U.S., where a federal court is set to rule on whether Google must spin off its Chrome browser. A ruling in favor of the U.S. Department of Justice could set a precedent for EU policy, although a European-led breakup of Google remains unlikely due to political and legal constraints [1].

References:
[1] https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/google-set-face-modest-eu-antitrust-fine-adtech-investigation-sources-say-2025-08-29/
[2] https://www.cryptopolitan.com/google-in-modest-eu-fine-for-its-adtech-unit/