The European Commission (EC) has issued two decisions against Google, imposing fines of €460 million and €430 million for violations of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The EC found that Google prioritized its own services in search results, disadvantaging competitors and limiting consumer access to alternative, often cheaper, purchasing channels outside of Google Play.

According to the DMA, gatekeepers like Google are prohibited from favoring their own services in search results. The EC concluded that Google did not comply with this requirement, as it consistently placed its shopping, hotel, transport, and sports services in more advantageous positions compared to similar third-party offerings.

Additionally, the EC found that Google restricted mobile app developers from informing users about alternative offers outside of Google Play. The DMA mandates that gatekeepers must allow developers to freely inform users about alternative, often cheaper, options and direct them to these offers through their websites or other app stores.

The EC has previously assessed similar practices concerning Apple’s App Store, which resulted in a €500 million fine for Apple for similar restrictions on app developers. The EC has ordered Google to cease these violations and ensure fair and non-discriminatory treatment of third-party services in search results.

Google is required to comply with the EC's decisions within 60 days, or it may face periodic fines of up to 5% of its total global revenue. Google retains the right to appeal the EC's decisions.

Since 2024, the Latvian competition authority has been responsible for monitoring the DMA in Latvia and supporting the EC in its implementation. Companies suspecting DMA violations are encouraged to report them to the authority.

With these two decisions, the EC has now issued four rulings since the DMA's implementation, identifying non-compliance by gatekeepers and mandating corrective actions. Previous fines included €500 million for Apple and €200 million for Meta.