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Google Fails to Sway Rivals in Final EU Talks, Risking Digital Markets Act Penalty

By  |  July 9, 2025

Alphabet’s Google is bracing for potential regulatory consequences after failing to reach a consensus with travel industry stakeholders and rival search services over how it displays search results, according to Reuters. The impasse raises the stakes for the tech giant, which could face substantial penalties under the European Union’s sweeping Digital Markets Act (DMA).

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    During a European Commission-hosted workshop on July 7–8, Google outlined its most recent proposals in an effort to address long-standing antitrust complaints. The workshop brought together critics and competitors such as Skyscanner, Booking.com, and Kelkoo, who have accused Google of prioritizing its own services—including Google Flights, Google Hotels, and Google Shopping—over theirs.

    Per Reuters, the company presented two revised options that would provide a designated box for vertical search services at the top of its results pages, while listings for individual providers like hotels and airlines would be ranked below. These proposals, however, failed to assuage concerns from competitors who argue that Google’s adjustments still fall short of creating a level playing field.

    “Competing interests continue to pull us in different directions,” said Google’s legal representative Oliver Bethell in a LinkedIn post. He emphasized the company’s intention to bring the debate to a close without privileging “the interests of a few” over broader user benefits.

    Related: Google to Warn EU Regulators That New Tech Rules May Stifle Innovation

    But key stakeholders remain dissatisfied. Skyscanner’s CEO Bryan Batista, in comments to Reuters, criticized the latest options as potentially misleading for users and further reinforcing Google’s dominance. Other industry voices echoed that sentiment, with legal adviser Thomas Hoppner—representing some of Google’s complainants—accusing the company of deflecting from the core issue of non-compliance with EU rules.

    The stakes are high under the DMA, a landmark regulation introduced to curtail the market dominance of major tech platforms. Under the law, non-compliance can result in fines of up to 10% of a company’s global annual revenue, a threat that now looms over Google as the Commission nears a final decision in the coming months.

    According to Reuters, the workshop may have marked the final opportunity for Google to adjust its approach before the Commission rules on its compliance.

    Source: Reuters