EU fines Google 890 million euros for unfair competition

The European Union has imposed an 890 million euro ($950 million) fine on Google, accusing the tech giant of unfairly favoring its own services in search results and hindering app developers. The European Commission stated that Google's practices on its search engine and Google Play app marketplace violated competition rules.

Regulators pointed to Google's practice of giving more prominence to its own offerings, such as sports results or hotel searches, through visually highlighted displays. Additionally, the commission found that Google unduly restricted app developers from promoting cheaper deals on other platforms.

Google condemned the decision, arguing that it would force the company to remove popular real-time search functions that Europeans value, like immediate price comparisons for hotels and flights. The company also stated that security features would need to be dismantled in Google Play, ultimately harming European businesses and consumers.

The EU's action risks renewed tensions with Washington, as former U.S. President Donald Trump had previously criticized the Union's digital regulations and threatened retaliatory measures. This fine follows a previous billion-euro penalty against Google in September 2025 for anti-competitive practices in the advertising business, which prompted Trump to threaten tariffs.