Brussels, July 23, 2026 - The European Union has fined Google €890 million after concluding that the tech giant violated the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA) by giving preferential treatment to its own services in search results and restricting competition within its Play Store ecosystem. The decision marks Google's first major penalty under the EU's landmark digital competition law and underscores Brussels' determination to curb the market power of Big Tech.

The European Commission split the fine into two parts. Google received a €460 million penalty for favouring its own services, such as shopping, travel, and hotel listings, over rival platforms in Google Search. A further €430 million fine was imposed for anti-steering practices within Google Play, where regulators said the company limited app developers' ability to direct users to cheaper purchasing options outside its app marketplace.

According to the Commission, these practices reduced consumer choice and placed competing digital services at a significant disadvantage. Under the Digital Markets Act, designated "gatekeeper" platforms are prohibited from unfairly promoting their own products or preventing businesses from offering alternative payment methods.

EU officials said the objective of the enforcement action is to ensure that companies compete on the quality of their products rather than the control they exert over digital platforms. Regulators have also ordered Google to make further changes to its search and app store practices to comply with the rules or face additional penalties.

Google has strongly criticised the decision and confirmed it plans to appeal. The company argues that the Commission's interpretation of the rules could make its products less useful for European consumers and businesses. Google also warned that limiting how it presents integrated services could reduce functionality, while changes to Play Store policies may weaken security protections for users.

Despite the fine, the European Commission acknowledged that Google has been working with regulators and has introduced several compliance measures during the investigation. Officials described discussions with the company as "constructive" and indicated that continued cooperation could help avoid further enforcement actions if the remaining concerns are addressed.

The ruling represents another milestone in the EU's long-running efforts to regulate the world's largest technology companies. Google has previously faced multiple antitrust penalties in Europe relating to Android, online shopping, and digital advertising, with total fines now exceeding €10 billion over the past two decades.

The decision also arrives amid heightened political tensions between the European Union and the United States, where some American lawmakers have criticised the EU's tougher stance on US technology firms. Nevertheless, European officials insist that the Digital Markets Act is designed to promote fair competition and consumer choice, regardless of where companies are headquartered.

As Google prepares its legal challenge, the case is expected to become a defining test of the EU's new digital competition framework and could influence how other major technology companies—including Apple, Meta, and Amazon—operate within the European market.