Commission fines Google €2.95bn for abuse of dominance in the adtech sector
The European Commission has imposed a fine of €2.95bn on Google for breaching Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. The Commission found that Google abused its dominant position in the advertising technology markets by systematically favouring its own ad exchange, AdX, through its publisher ad server (DFP) and ad buying tools (Google Ads and DV360). This practice, which has been ongoing since at least 2014, distorted competition and reinforced Google's market power. Google is required to end these self-preferencing behaviours and address the structural conflicts of interest within its adtech operations, submitting proposed remedies within 60 days. The Commission noted that, should Google's proposals prove inadequate, further measures including divestment may be imposed. The fine was calculated in view of the severity and duration of the infringement, AdX’s turnover, and Google's prior history of similar violations. This decision is made in parallel with an investigation by the US Department of Justice, with a related trial scheduled for 22 September 2025.