Delay in Google Fines by EU Regulators
European Union antitrust regulators have postponed the fines against Alphabet’s Google regarding its AdTech operations, according to sources familiar with the situation. They are awaiting a decision from the United States about reducing tariffs on European automobiles as part of an ongoing trade negotiation.
These automotive tariffs significantly impacted the discussions leading to a trade agreement between the US and the EU. Notably, the European Commission proposed last week to eliminate tariffs on imported industrial goods from the US, and it anticipates that the US will soon announce a reduction of tariffs on European cars from 27.5% to 15%.
Adding to the complexity, President Trump has issued threats to retaliate against the EU if there are any moves against major technology companies.
On Friday, Google was informed that EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera planned to announce the fine on Monday. However, the announcement did not happen, and the company received no explanation for this delay, according to another source.
One of the sources stated the wait is not expected to exceed a month, mentioning that EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic inquired about Ribera’s decision but didn’t provide details on the delay’s duration. They requested anonymity, indicating they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
Interestingly, the German Monopoly Commission has called for a delay in the announcement, which raises questions about the independence of European antitrust enforcement. Chairman Tomaso Duso commented that “the protection of competition should not be used as a pawn in the politics of the Trump administration.”
Meanwhile, a European Commission spokesperson noted during a recent press briefing that Google’s investigation continues and declined to offer any further comments. Google itself has not responded to requests for comment.
The modest fines Google faces stem from a four-year investigation that began following a complaint from the European Council of Publishers about the company’s favoritism towards its own advertising service.
The news of these delays was initially reported by Mlex.
