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A Google logo is seen on a smartphone screen against the background of the European Union flag. / AFP, Yonhap News

On July 23 (local time), the European Union imposed a total fine of 890 million euros (about 1.5 trillion won) on Google for using its search engine and app store (Google Play) to block competitors and favor its own services, Reuters and AP reported.

Following actions against Apple and Meta in April last year, this sanction forms part of the enforcement of the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), reinforcing the European authorities' strict regulatory stance on Big Tech companies.

According to the European Commission, the fines were split across two violation categories. The first penalty of 460 million euros (about 770 billion won) was levied for self-preferencing Google services—such as shopping, hotels, and transportation—within search results. The second fine of 430 million euros (about 720 billion won) was imposed for restricting users on Google Play from steering toward cheaper external payment options or third-party websites.

Under this ruling, Google must implement corrective measures within 60 days.

Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of competition, emphasized the creation of a fair competitive market, stating, "The standard for a product should lie in its own excellence, not in whether one owns the search engine."

Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, similarly explained that the measure is intended to "ensure consumers have a fair chance to choose cheaper alternatives."

Google strongly pushed back against the decision, hinting at potential legal action. Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs at Google, criticized the move in a statement, saying, "To comply with EU regulations, we would have to remove live pricing and booking search features that Europeans prefer and disable Google Play's security measures," adding that "this will degrade product quality and harm European consumers and businesses."

The decision is also expanding into trade friction between the United States and the EU. The Donald Trump administration has criticized the EU for unfairly targeting American tech companies, warning of retaliatory measures such as tariffs.

Jamieson Greer, United States Trade Representative (USTR), stated that "this action brings uncertainty to the market for American goods and services exported to Europe," arguing that the EU is undermining the possibility of resolution through dialogue and the trade stability of the transatlantic alliance.

Apart from the fine, EU authorities positively acknowledged Google's recent improvement efforts to comply with the legislation. Google is testing modifications to how services are displayed in search results and steering terms on Google Play, while holding discussions with the EU to apply these principles to its AI-generated summaries (AI Overviews).

Noting that "constructive dialogue" is underway with Google, the European Commission added that periodic penalty payments—additional daily fines imposed for non-compliance—are unlikely to be applied immediately.

                                                                                                          Lee Jeong-eun