Brussels Slaps Google with €3 Billion Fine Over Ad Tech Dominance
Brussels, September 5, 2025 – The European Commission today imposed a fine of nearly €3 billion on Google, alleging the tech giant violated competition rules in the online advertising market.Google has announced its intention to appeal, calling the penalty unlawful.
The Commission determined Google abused its dominant market position by favoring its own advertising platforms over competitors. Regulators require the company to implement measures preventing such preferential treatment.
“When markets fail, public institutions must step in to prevent dominant players from abusing their power,” stated European Commissioner Teresa Ribera (competition) in a released statement. “Publishers, advertisers, and consumers are being harmed by this.”
Lee-Anne Mulholland, head of Google’s regulations, countered that the Commission’s demands woudl hinder the ability of thousands of European companies to generate revenue.
The decision arrives amid heightened transatlantic trade tensions. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized what he views as overly strict regulations targeting American tech firms like Google, Meta, and Apple, and recently threatened new import duties on countries perceived to “discriminate” against them.
Reports surfaced earlier this week suggesting the Commission had delayed the fine due to concerns about jeopardizing the recently finalized EU-U.S. trade agreement. However, the Commission proceeded with the announcement today, raising questions about a potential response from the White House.