FRANKFURT/BRUSSELS, May 25 - European Union authorities are preparing to impose a substantial fine on Alphabet's Google as part of an antitrust action under the Digital Markets Act, Germany's Handelsblatt reported, citing officials within the European Commission.
According to the report, the penalty will be a high triple-digit million euro sum. The Commission's decision is described as nearing completion and is expected to be made public before the upcoming summer break. Handelsblatt's account said the proposed sanction would represent the largest fine the EU has ever levied under the DMA.
The probe, which the Commission formally opened in March 2025, examines allegations that Google gives preferential placement to its own services in search results. The inquiry seeks to ensure that the world's most popular internet search engine complies with local regulatory obligations established by the DMA.
Officials at the European Commission and representatives for Google were not immediately available for comment, the report added. Earlier in the month the Commission had provided Google a brief extension to address regulators' concerns after a previous remediation proposal from the company was judged insufficient.
The Handelsblatt account cites commission sources for the forthcoming penalty and timing. Beyond noting that the fine would be historically large within the DMA framework, the report does not disclose the precise amount or the specific corrective measures the Commission may demand as part of any decision.
This development follows the March 2025 opening of the investigation and the subsequent exchanges between the regulator and Google over proposed changes intended to bring the company's practices into compliance with DMA requirements. The reported timetable indicates the Commission aims to conclude its work before the institutional summer recess.
Context and implications
The information available at this stage is limited to what was reported by Handelsblatt and attributed to Commission sources. The nature of the alleged breach centers on search-result treatment of Google's own services and the regulator's effort to enforce DMA rules. The Commission's recent decision to grant Google a short additional period to respond followed an earlier proposal that did not satisfy authorities' concerns.