EU levies €890m penalty on Google for search and store dominance

The penalty consists of two distinct charges: €460 million for search monopoly abuse and €430 million for restrictive practices within the Google Play ecosystem. European officials argue that the sheer scale of the company’s reach—spanning 482 million active non-signed-in accounts across the bloc—necessitates stricter oversight to ensure third-party competitors receive a fair chance to appear in search results.

Despite the scale of the fine, critics are dismissing the move as a half-measure. Max von Thun, director of the Open Markets Institute Europe, labeled the sanction the “bare minimum,” citing the two-year delay in reaching a conclusion. Google has 60 days to overhaul its operations and bring its practices into compliance with the Digital Markets Act.