EU hits Google with new $1bn fine, saying it broke digital antitrust rules

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing its staff and news agencies, reported that the European Union fined Google 890 million euros, or about $1bn, on Thursday, July 23, 2026, after concluding the company violated the bloc’s digital antitrust rules. The European Commission said Google used Google Play and its search engine to direct users toward its own apps and services, disadvantaging competitors.

The penalty falls under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which took effect in 2024 and is aimed at limiting the power of major online “gatekeepers.” Commission officials said the case was about protecting consumer choice and ensuring that companies compete on merit rather than platform control. According to the report, Google has 60 days to comply or could face additional periodic penalties.

Google’s global affairs head, Kent Walker, rejected the EU’s approach, saying the required changes would remove search features used in Europe and weaken protections on Google Play. The fine follows earlier DMA penalties against Meta and Apple in 2025, and Al Jazeera reported that it is the largest total imposed on a single company under that law so far.

The case adds to a long-running conflict between Brussels and major technology companies. Al Jazeera noted that Google has previously faced billions of euros in EU antitrust fines, including cases tied to Android and other competition rules. The decision may also sharpen transatlantic tensions, as some US Republican lawmakers have urged President Trump to respond to what they call discriminatory EU digital regulation.