The European Union is set to impose a high triple-digit million euro fine on Alphabet's Google for violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA), sources confirmed on May 25, 2026. The decision on the fine is nearing completion and expected before the EU summer break in 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
The antitrust probe began in March 2025. The European Commission launched the investigation focusing on Google's alleged self-preferencing of its own services in search results. Authorities are concerned Google favored its shopping, mapping, travel, hotel, financial, and sports services, hurting competitors [1, 3, 8, 5, 6, 7].
The DMA allows fines up to 10% of a company's global annual revenue, rising to 20% for repeat offenses. The expected fine on Google, if finalized, would be the largest penalty imposed under the law so far [3, 4, 8, 5, 7].
An EU Commission spokesperson, Thomas Regnier, said the regulator prioritizes ensuring compliance over penalties but is ready to take further steps if necessary. "Even with our negotiations on future solutions, we will not hesitate to move to the next steps as soon as possible," he said [1, 6].
Google has criticized the DMA's impact on its search product. A company spokesperson called recent changes "the biggest downgrade in the product’s history," arguing the adjustments have worsened the user experience for Europeans while benefiting "a few self-interested complainants" [1, 5, 6, 7]. Despite this, Google has expressed willingness to resolve the case.
Besides monetary penalties, the EU is considering requiring Google to share search ranking, query, click, and browsing data with third parties on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms [8].
The Commission's final decision on the fine and any accompanying remedies is expected before the summer recess in 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
