EU signals imminent decision on Google DMA investigation

The EU’s top antitrust chief has signed off on a ruling on whether Google is infringing digital markets law, without committing to a timeline.

What did you say. “It will come,” Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera told Dow Jones Newswires, adding that cases are complex and the commission is committed to evidence-based decisions and a fair process.

It’s the background. The European Commission launched its investigation into Google’s search business in March 2024 under the Digital Markets Act. The commission has given itself a 12-month deadline to wrap up – it has already fined Meta and Apple, but Google’s case remains unresolved for nearly two years.

The pressure is on. Eighteen hospitality companies and civil society organizations wrote to Ribera this month demanding clear remedies and fines large enough to make non-compliance unprofitable.

• Groups have warned the commission’s credibility is on the line, noting that Google controls more than 90% of the EU search market.
• “Every day without a decision is a day when European businesses are systematically disadvantaged,” the letter said.

Why do we care. A ruling against Google under the Digital Markets Act could force major changes to the way search works in Europe – potentially reshaping the way ads are served, measured, and priced in one of the world’s biggest markets. If remedies include structural changes to search or ad technology, it may affect campaign performance, targeting, and competitiveness across the board. If you have a European audience, watch this closely — the effect may spill over into Google’s ad ecosystem.

Meanwhile, this week. Ribera is in California meeting with Sundar Picchu, Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, and Amazon’s Andy Jassy before heading to Washington, DC, to meet with the acting head of the Justice Department’s antitrust division.

Big picture. Google isn’t the only one out there. The commission has a further investigation into how Google enables AI overviews and rankings for news publishers, and is separately investigating Meta about the limitations of rival chatbots using WhatsApp’s business software.

Bottom line. The EU has been slow to act on Google, but pressure is clearly mounting. When the decision comes, we can set an important precedent for how the Digital Markets Act is applied.