BRUSSELS, March 16 - A coalition of European publishers, technology organisations and startups has urged EU competition authorities to bring to a close a long-running probe into Alphabet unit Google, and to impose a sanction for alleged self-preferencing in search results.
The joint appeal, delivered in a letter to senior EU officials, was signed by bodies including the European Publishers Council - whose membership lists Axel Springer, News Corp and Conde Nast - the European Magazine Media Association, the European Tech Alliance and EU Travel Tech, among others. Additional signatories named in the correspondence include the Initiative for Neutral Search, the Innovative Europe Foundation and the German Startup Association.
Those groups asked EU leaders to finalise the investigation next week. The probe began on March 25, 2024 under the European Union Digital Markets Act (DMA) and has now been under way for nearly two years, even though EU regulators have indicated they aim to conclude DMA cases within 12 months. The Commission announced formal charges in the case last year.
In the letter the organisations warned that the European Commission’s standing is at stake and urged officials not to yield to what they described as sustained pressure to water down the DMA. The groups said prolonged delay compounds financial strain for European companies, reducing their ability to invest and grow and pushing some toward financial distress or bankruptcy as a result of Alphabet’s conduct.
"The European Commission’s credibility is on the line and it is important that sustained pressure to dilute the DMA is not shown to have succeeded," the letter said.
The signatories urged the Commission - which acts as the EU competition watchdog - to issue a formal non-compliance decision against Alphabet. They asked explicitly for a cease-and-desist order and a deterrent fine to be imposed.
EU officials have previously stated a 12-month target for resolving DMA investigations. The current probe has extended beyond that timeframe, prompting concern from the groups representing publishers, tech companies and startups.
Google, which has proposed various remedies to rivals and EU regulators since it was charged, has denied favouring its own services in online search. Rivals have said the measures Google has offered are not sufficient to address the concerns raised. The European Commission did not immediately reply to emailed requests for comment, and Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
What the groups want is a formal enforcement step under the DMA framework - including clear orders to stop the behaviour the Commission has alleged, and a fine intended to deter future breaches. The letter frames the request as urgent, citing ongoing harm to competitors and publishers.
The case highlights tensions in the bloc over how to regulate large technology platforms while balancing competing policy priorities. The complainants say the timely enforcement of DMA rules is critical to protect European businesses that rely on fair access to online distribution channels.