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EU Fines Google €2.95 Billion in Adtech Case, Orders Plan to End Self‑Preferencing

Brussels gave Google 60 days to propose fixes with divestitures on the table.

Overview

  • The European Commission found Google abused dominance by favoring its AdX exchange and related tools, distorting competition for advertisers and publishers.
  • Regulators ordered Google to submit a compliance plan within 60 days to end conflicts of interest, with the option of structural remedies if behavioral fixes fall short.
  • One report says Google would have 30 additional days to implement an approved plan after submitting it.
  • Google says it will appeal, calling the ruling wrong and unjustified, while publisher groups that lodged the complaint urged changes that meaningfully alter behavior.
  • President Donald Trump criticized the penalty as discriminatory and threatened a Section 301 trade investigation, as related U.S. antitrust cases proceed toward remedy hearings.