**Google** has been fined €890 million (approximately $1 billion) by the **European Commission** for breaching the **European Union**'s **Digital Markets Act (DMA)**. This landmark decision underscores the EU's commitment to fostering fair competition in the digital realm. ### DMA Violations Detailed **Google** was designated a 'gatekeeper' for **Google Search** in September 2023, triggering investigations into its market practices. The Commission's findings, released Thursday, highlight two primary areas of non-compliance: 1. **Preferential Treatment in Search**: **Google** was found to have unfairly promoted its own services, including shopping, hotels, transport, and sports results, over third-party alternatives within **Google Search**. 2. **App Store Steering Restrictions**: The company restricted app developers on the **Google Play** app store from freely communicating and promoting offers, and from concluding contracts with users via alternative distribution channels. Of the total fine, €460 million was attributed to the search favoritism, and €430 million to the app store steering practices. The **DMA** mandates that designated gatekeepers treat third-party services fairly in search rankings, rather than giving undue preference to their own offerings. ### Enforcement and Future Compliance **Google** has been ordered to rectify these **DMA** violations within 60 days. Failure to comply could result in significant penalty payments, potentially reaching up to 5% of its global turnover. **Google** retains the right to appeal these decisions. The **European Commission** acknowledged that **Google** has initiated steps towards compliance, including testing changes to its search result placements and updating its steering terms. These efforts were described as substantial progress. **Teresa Ribera**, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, stated, "**Google** has fallen short of effective compliance with the **Digital Markets Act**, and today we have taken decisive yet balanced enforcement action sanctioning these breaches." She added, "The best products should succeed because they're better, not because they're owned by the company running the search engine. And European consumers have a right to be told by app developers where to sign up to the best offers, even when the app store owner does not get a cut." ### A Pattern of EU Scrutiny This latest fine is part of a series of penalties **Google** has faced from EU authorities. In September, the **European Commission** fined **Google** €2.95 billion ($3.5 billion) for anti-competitive ad practices. That same month, France's data protection authority imposed a €325 million ($378 million) fine for violating cookie regulations and displaying ads without consent in **Gmail**. More recently, in early July, **Google** lost its final appeal against a monumental €4.1 billion ($4.7 billion) antitrust fine related to its use of **Android** to promote its search service and the **Chrome** web browser.