Google fails to resolve EU antitrust dispute over search result bias
Google said it has been unable to resolve disagreements with major travel and search service providers — including Skyscanner and Booking.com — over how it presents search results, leaving the company exposed to a potential European Union antitrust fine. The disclosure follows a two-day workshop (July 7–8) hosted by the European Commission, where Google presented its latest proposals to address long-standing allegations that it favors its own services like Google Flights, Hotels, and Shopping over rivals.
Under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to curb the dominance of “gatekeeper” platforms, violations can trigger fines of up to 10% of global annual revenue — a serious threat for Alphabet, Google’s parent company.
At the workshop, Google offered two new options: Both would give vertical search competitors (like Skyscanner, Kelkoo, and Booking.com) a box at the top of the results page, while listings for individual providers such as airlines, hotels, and restaurants would appear underneath. However, critics argue the proposals still tilt in Google’s favor.
Skyscanner CEO Bryan Batista said the latest suggestions risk “misleading consumers and cementing Google’s position” in organic search. Meanwhile, lawyer Thomas Hoppner — who represents complainants against Google — criticized the company for deflecting blame onto tensions between intermediaries and direct service providers instead of addressing its own alleged self-preferencing behavior.
Google’s Director of Competition, Oliver Bethell, acknowledged the conflict in a LinkedIn blog post, saying: “Competing interests continue to pull us in different directions.” He added that while feedback was welcomed, it’s time to conclude the debate, emphasizing that Google must act in the interest of broader users, not just a few commercial parties.
The European Commission is expected to make a final judgment on Google’s compliance in the coming months. Should regulators find the company in breach, it could trigger one of the most significant enforcement actions yet under the DMA.