European Commission Fines Google €890 Million for Search and Play Store DMA Violations

The European Commission has fined Google €890 million ($1 billion) for violating the European Union's Digital Markets Act. According to the Commission's decision published on July 23, 2026, Google favored its own services in Google Search and limited how app developers could direct users to lower-cost purchase options outside Google Play.

The fine includes €460 million for search self-preferencing and €430 million for app store steering practices. Google must end these violations within 60 days or risk periodic penalty payments of up to 5% of its worldwide turnover.

Google may appeal the decision. The Commission acknowledged that Google is testing changes to both practices and considers these efforts substantial progress toward compliance.

Commission Details Google’s DMA Violations

The Commission determined that Google favors its own services, such as shopping, hotels, transport, and sports results, over third-party offerings in Google Search. The DMA requires gatekeepers to treat third-party services fairly in search rankings instead of prioritizing their own.

The sThe second violation involves Google Play. The Commission found that Google restricts app developers from freely communicating offers and concluding contracts with users through their preferred distribution channels, including third-party app stores.

This limits developers' ability to direct users to lower-priced purchase options outside Google's payment system.le was designated a gatekeeper for Google Search in September 2023, and the Commission opened non-compliance investigations in March 2024.

"Google has fallen short of effective compliance with the Digital Markets Act, and today we have taken decisive yet balanced enforcement action sanctioning these breaches," said Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.

"The best products should succeed because they're better, not because they're owned by the company running the search engine. And European consumers have a right to be told by app developers where to sign up to the best offers, even when the app store owner does not get a cut," Ribera added.

Compliance Timeline and Penalty Risk for Google

The Commission ordered Google to end both violations within 60 days. If it fails to comply within that period, it faces periodic penalty payments of up to 5% of its average daily worldwide turnover.

The Commission stated that Google has begun testing changes to its search result displays and updated its steering terms. While these actions represent substantial progress toward compliance, they were insufficient to avoid the fine for previous DMA violations.

The €890 million fine is the latest in a series of penalties imposed on Google in Europe over the past year.

In September, the Commission fined Google €2.95 billion ($3.5 billion) for favoring its own adtech services by abusing its dominance in the digital advertising technology market.

That same month, the French data protection authority fined the company €325 million ($378 million) for placing ads between Gmail users' emails without consent and for violating cookie regulations.

In early July, Google lost a final appeal against a €4.1 billion ($4.7 billion) antitrust fine over its use of Android to promote Google Search and the Chrome browser.

What the Decision Means for Users And What Happens Next

For Android app developers in the EU, the decision addresses rules limiting steering users to external purchase options. If Google implements compliance changes within 60 days, developers will have more flexibility to communicate alternative offers and payment channels, including links to purchases outside Google Play's billing system.

Developers and businesses affected by the ranking and steering practices should take a few practical steps:

1. Review current Google Play distribution agreements against the specific steering restrictions the Commission identified, since those terms are the subject of the compliance order.
2. Monitor Google's announced changes to steering terms over the next 60 days, since the permitted forms of external offer communication depend on the final implementation.
3. For businesses relying on Google Search visibility, track the changes Google is testing to the placement of its own shopping, hotels, transport, and sports results, which may affect third-party ranking.
4. Document any competitive harm from the identified practices, since the Commission's finding may support related complaints or claims.

Google has not confirmed whether it will appeal the decision, though the Commission stated the option is available. The final form of Google's compliance changes to Search ranking and Play steering has not been confirmed, and whether those changes satisfy the DMA will depend on the Commission's assessment at the end of the 60-day period.

Further penalty payments would follow only if the Commission determines that Google has not ended the violations within that window.

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