Google has submitted a fresh set of proposals to the European Commission in an effort to avoid a major antitrust fine, pledging to further modify how its search results display competing services such as Google Shopping, Hotels, and Flights.
According to a document seen by Reuters, Google’s latest offer builds on a July proposal that faced pushback from vertical search services (VSS) — specialized search engines focused on areas like travel, hotels, and restaurants — as well as price comparison sites. These rivals argued Google’s previous plans still favoured its own services.
The new proposal is part of an investigation under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a sweeping EU law aimed at curbing Big Tech dominance, promoting competition, and offering users more choice.
In the updated framework, Google said it will allow third-party search services to display their own dedicated boxes on search results pages, similar in format to those used for Google’s own services. Each “VSS box” will contain inventory and results directly from the third-party platform, selected through objective, non-discriminatory criteria.
Suppliers — such as hotels, airlines, or restaurants — would appear in boxes placed either above or below depending on query relevance, the company explained. Google also said it would not share competitors’ data with other parties, a key concern among rivals.
While expressing a desire to resolve the EU probe, Google warned that excessive changes could benefit intermediaries at the expense of European businesses selling directly to consumers. “We remain concerned that further changes could prioritise the commercial interests of a small set of intermediaries,” a company spokesperson said.