Fresh detail has emerged on how Google is responding to the €890 million (about $1 billion) EU antitrust fine, with the company having already trialled several changes to Search, such as dropping the Flights widget for EU users and boosting rival comparison links, while blasting the requirements as "the biggest downgrade" in Search's history. The European Commission says these efforts, along with revised Play Store fees and developer terms, mark "good progress towards compliance," though Google must still overhaul both policies within 60 days or face further periodic penalties. This continues a long-running clash between Brussels and Google, which was previously fined €2.42 billion in 2017 over similar Shopping-related favouritism.

The underlying penalty, announced by the Commission after a two-year investigation and a March 2025 preliminary ruling, splits into €460 million for favouring Google's own Shopping, Hotels and Flights results in Search, and €430 million for Play Store rules that blocked developers steering users to cheaper payment options. Google must now treat rival services fairly in Search and let Android developers freely promote outside offers, while it continues to argue that looser Play Store rules pose security risks to users. The company faces a parallel reckoning in the US, where Fortnite maker Epic Games has separately challenged its Play Store policies.