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EU Slaps Google With $3.45B Antitrust Fine Over Adtech Practices

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The European Commission has fined Google €2.95 billion ($3.45 billion) for abusing its dominance in the online advertising technology market, marking the fourth major penalty against the company in a decade-long battle with EU regulators.

The Commission found that since 2014, Google has favored its own ad exchange AdX within the adtech supply chain, charging high fees that disadvantaged rivals and online publishers. Google has been ordered to end self-preferencing and conflicts of interest, with 60 days to present a compliance plan.

EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera warned that stronger remedies—including a potential breakup—remain on the table if Google fails to make credible changes. “Digital markets exist to serve people and must be grounded in trust and fairness,” Ribera said.

The case has stirred transatlantic tensions. U.S. President Donald Trump blasted the fine as “unfair” and threatened retaliation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows tariffs on countries that impose “unjustifiable” burdens on U.S. commerce.

Google immediately vowed to appeal, calling the decision “wrong” and arguing it would harm European businesses. “There are more alternatives to our services than ever before,” said Lee-Anne Mulholland, the company’s VP of regulatory affairs.

Critics, including the European Publishers Council, said the fine alone is insufficient. “A fine will not fix Google’s abuse of its adtech,” said executive director Angela Mills Wade, urging a breakup to protect Europe’s struggling media sector.

The penalty follows Google’s previous EU fines: €4.3 billion in 2018, €2.42 billion in 2017, and €1.49 billion in 2019. Meanwhile, Google faces a separate U.S. trial in September after a judge found it holds illegal monopolies in online advertising.

Google’s ad business remains the world’s largest, generating $264.6 billion in 2024, or 76% of Alphabet’s total revenue.

Google Fined $3.45 Billion by EU for Antitrust Breaches in Adtech; Trump Threatens Retaliation

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Google (Alphabet) has been fined €2.95 billion ($3.45 billion) by the European Union for abusing its dominance in the online advertising technology market, marking the fourth major EU penalty against the company in a decade.

The European Commission found that since 2014, Google unfairly favored its own adtech services, particularly its AdX exchange, to the detriment of rivals and online publishers. The watchdog ordered Google to end these self-preferencing practices and address conflicts of interest, warning that stronger remedies, including potential divestitures, remain on the table if compliance efforts fall short. Google has 60 days to propose changes and another 30 days to implement them.

U.S. President Donald Trump blasted the fine as “unfair” and “discriminatory,” threatening to launch a Section 301 trade investigation that could nullify EU penalties and impose retaliatory tariffs. “We cannot let this happen to brilliant American ingenuity,” Trump said, vowing to confront the EU directly.

Google said it would appeal, arguing the decision is “wrong” and would harm European businesses that rely on its services to generate ad revenue. “There’s nothing anticompetitive in providing services for ad buyers and sellers, and there are more alternatives than ever,” said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s VP of regulatory affairs.

The fine comes amid mounting U.S.-EU trade tensions, with Brussels under pressure to balance antitrust enforcement with the risk of Trump’s tariff retaliation on European exports, including cars. While the Commission stopped short of ordering a breakup, critics—including the European Publishers Council—warned that fines alone would not curb Google’s dominance in the €120 billion adtech market.

The ruling adds to Google’s history of penalties in Europe: €4.3 billion in 2018, €2.42 billion in 2017, and €1.49 billion in 2019. Meanwhile, Google faces a U.S. trial in September to determine remedies in a Justice Department case that found it illegally monopolized online advertising.

Google’s advertising business remains the backbone of its revenue, generating $264.6 billion in 2024 (75.6% of total sales) across services including YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and Google Play.