The European Union has reignited its long fight with U.S. tech giants, handing Google a massive €3 billion penalty for allegedly abusing its dominance in digital advertising.
The move, one of the largest fines Brussels has ever imposed on a single company, has drawn sharp criticism from President Donald Trump – who hinted that Washington may answer with tariffs.
Europe pushes back on adtech dominance
European regulators accuse Google of tilting the digital ad market by steering clients toward its own exchange, a tactic they say undermines competition. The fine adds to earlier rulings on Android licensing and shopping practices, bringing Google’s total European liabilities to nearly €10 billion.
While industry groups such as the European Publishers Council welcomed the decision, they argued that financial penalties alone are unlikely to loosen Google’s control. The company, meanwhile, promised to appeal, insisting that changes demanded by Brussels would harm European businesses that rely on its ad tools.
Trump signals Section 301 action
In Washington, Trump blasted the ruling as “very unfair” and warned that a Section 301 trade probe – the same mechanism previously used against Brazil – could follow. He revealed that the issue was discussed the night before at a White House dinner with Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai, Apple’s Tim Cook, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. According to Trump, the executives voiced concern that Europe – not China – now posed the bigger threat to their global business.
Digital rules become a flashpoint
The clash underscores how digital regulation has become a new fault line in transatlantic trade. U.S. officials argue that Europe is unfairly targeting American firms, while European leaders maintain that unchecked platform dominance distorts markets and crushes smaller rivals.
Kosta has been working in the crypto industry for over 4 years. He strives to present different perspectives on a given topic and enjoys the sector for its transparency and dynamism. In his work, he focuses on balanced coverage of events and developments in the crypto space, providing information to his readers from a neutral perspective.
