Google fined by European Commission is now one of the biggest headlines in global tech regulation. The EU has imposed a €2.95 billion penalty on the company for abusing its dominant position in the advertising technology market. This marks one of the largest fines against a US tech firm and comes during a period of rising trade tensions between Brussels and Washington.
EU antitrust regulators concluded that Google gave unfair preference to its own ad exchange service, AdX, while leveraging its dominance in publisher ad servers and ad buying tools. By prioritizing its own platform, the company was accused of shutting out rivals and harming competition in the European advertising ecosystem.
Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera said in a statement that Google must provide a serious remedy to fix its conflicts of interest. She warned that the Commission is ready to impose stronger measures if the company does not comply. According to the ruling, Google now has 60 days to end the practices deemed anti-competitive.
The investigation into Google’s ad technology business began in June 2021, focusing on whether the company abused its role as both a buyer and seller in the digital advertising chain.
Google has rejected the ruling and said it will appeal. Vice President Lee-Anne Mulholland called the fine unjustified, arguing that the required changes would harm thousands of European businesses that rely on advertising revenue. She added that the decision risks creating more barriers rather than promoting fair competition.
The ruling comes against the backdrop of ongoing friction between the EU and the United States. US President Donald Trump recently threatened to impose new tariffs if Brussels targeted American technology giants again. Reports suggest that the timing of the fine was deliberately postponed to avoid further inflaming the situation.
A source close to the matter confirmed that Bjoern Seibert, chief of staff to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, played a role in delaying the announcement until now.
The penalty risks straining EU-US relations further, just as both sides recently signed a contentious trade agreement. Under the deal, the US agreed to lower tariffs on European imports to 15 percent, while the EU granted American products duty-free access. However, the US has yet to reduce its 27.5 percent tariff on European cars to the promised 15 percent, leaving the agreement incomplete.
Exemptions to the deal are still being negotiated, and the agreement requires approval from both EU member states and Members of the European Parliament. Many MEPs have already criticized the deal as one-sided, while the Commission defended it as the only viable compromise in the face of aggressive US trade policy.
EU officials argue that the fine against Google is about restoring fairness in digital markets. Commissioner Ribera stated that true freedom means a level playing field where all competitors can operate under equal conditions and where consumers retain the right to genuine choice.
The ruling against Google sets another milestone in the EU’s long campaign to regulate Big Tech, and it could shape how digital advertising is governed in Europe for years to come.
