The Commission said that the tech giant infringed competition rules by favouring its own online display ad tech services over its competitors, thus abusing its dominant position in the ad tech market. In addition, the Commission has ordered Google to stop such practices and implement measures to end any conflict of interest in the supply chain of the ad tech markets.
On behalf of the European Publishers Council, which brought the complaint against Google’s abuse of its dominance in ad tech, Angela Mills Wade, Executive Director of the EPC, said:
“A fine will not fix Google’s abuse of its adtech. Without strong and decisive enforcement, Google will simply write this off as a cost of business while consolidating its dominance in the AI era, perpetuating unfair competition and weakening news media and publishing companies which rely on advertising revenues.”
As well as the fine, Google now has 60 days to inform the Commission how it would resolve its behaviour.
“As complainants, the EPC will be seeking measures that manifestly change Google’s behaviour and address the core concerns of market foreclosure and the lack of transparency at the heart of Google’s dominance,” said Mills Wade.
The EPC underlined that the case was a chance for the Commission to restore fairness and competition in digital advertising. In June 2023, when issuing the EC’s Statement of Objections, Commissioner Vestager made clear that “a behavioural remedy is unlikely to be effective at stopping the anti-competitive practices,” and stated that the Commission’s “preliminary view is that solely a divestiture will remedy Google’s alleged breach of EU antitrust rules.”
The EPC acknowledged Europe’s leadership in adopting landmark digital legislation to address abusive conduct by digital gatekeepers, such as the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act, where enforcement is ongoing. But it expressed concern that ambitious antitrust investigations and strong legal findings would be meaningless if they culminated in only fines or weak behavioural remedies. Without enforcement that matches the scale of the abuses, dominant platforms will continue to exploit loopholes, entrench their market power, and sidestep obligations under both competition law and new digital rules.
“Today’s Decision risks emboldening repeat abuses at a time when technological change is accelerating. To safeguard competition and strengthen Europe’s digital future, enforcement must be timely and effective. Much stronger action is essential if Europe is to protect media pluralism and ensure fair competition in the age of AI,” Mills Wade said.
The EPC represents senior leaders of Europe’s major media groups. It has consistently called for decisive enforcement of competition and regulatory frameworks to ensure that publishers, advertisers, and citizens alike benefit from fair, transparent, and competitive digital markets.
More information about our complaint here: https://www.epceurope.eu/complaint
ENDS
Angela Mills Wade
Executive Director
Email: angela.mills-wade@epceurope.eu
European Publishers Council
Residence Palace, Building C, 5th Floor
Rue de la Loi, 155
1040 Brussels
Tel: +32 2 231 12 99
UK Tel: +44 7785 327878