What Do EU’s Data Sharing Rules Mean for Search Engine Giant, Google?
In Focus
- The EU outlined measures to enable Google to comply with the DMA
- Google plans to challenge the proposals made by the EU
- The European Commission has fined Google a total of 9.71 billion euros since 2017
The European Commission has proposed measures to enable Google to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). In its preliminary findings, the EU antitrust regulator proposes that Google should allow third-party search engines to access its search data, such as ranking and user queries, clicks, and views. The EU said the proposed Google data sharing rules would be based on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms.
EU Proposals Cover Multiple Issues
The EU’s Google DMA compliance measures cover a range of matters, including the scope, frequency, and means of the search data that the tech giant will have to share. They include the measures for keeping personal data anonymous. They also include the processes that govern beneficiaries’ access to search data and parameters for setting prices for search data.
“The aim of the measures is to allow third-party online search engines, or ‘data beneficiaries’, to optimize their search services and contest Google Search’s position,” the Commission noted.
EU’s proposals combine rules relating to pricing and access controls. Brussels is not just requiring companies to share data; it is also setting out how the business and technical terms that guide data access should operate. Last month, publishers, startups, and tech firms in Europe asked antitrust regulators in the EU to accelerate the probe into Google Search and impose a fine.
Google Plans to Challenge EU Proposals
Goolge is planning to challenge the proposals by the EU. The company argues that the proposals could compromise users’ privacy.
“Hundreds of millions of Europeans trust Google with their most sensitive searches – including private questions about their health, family, and finances – and the Commission’s proposal would force us to hand this data over to third parties, with dangerously ineffective privacy protections,” Google’s Senior Competition Counsel, Clare Kelly noted.
The EU also launched a public consultation. This process invites third parties, which include Google’s competitors, to weigh in on the proposed measures before they are finalized. Stakeholders have until May 1, 2026, to share their feedback on the proposed measures. The EU is expected to make the final decision in July 2026.
How Much has the EU Fined Google?
Google is the leading search engine in the world. In March 2025, the EU tech giant initiated an antitrust case against Google for violating the Digital Markets Act. Google has submitted its own proposals to address concerns from competitors and EU regulators. However, rivals say Google’s proposals do not sufficiently address their concerns.
Since 2017, Google has been fined a total of 9.71 billion euros ($11.43 billion) in Europe for various antitrust violations. Under the Digital Markets Act, penalties can reach up to 10% of a company’s global annual revenue.
