EU rivals sue Google for billions after DMA fine

Google is facing a new wave of private lawsuits across Europe seeking billions of euros in damages, a surge triggered by a landmark 1 billion fine from the European Commission. The fine, the first imposed under the bloc's new Digital Markets Act (DMA), has emboldened smaller rivals to pursue claims that could collectively reach up to 10 billion euros.

The European Commission announced the dual penalties on July 23, 2026. One fine of 460 million euros was for favoring Google's own shopping, hotel, transport, and sports services in its search results. A second penalty of 430 million euros was for imposing restrictions on app developers that prevented them from steering users toward cheaper offers outside the Google Play store. The Commission gave Google 60 days to end the practices or face periodic penalties of up to 5 percent of its global turnover.

Legal experts say this finding of ongoing wrongdoing under the DMA has accelerated existing litigation and will likely inspire new claims. Thomas Hoppner, a partner at Geradin Partners, said the ruling will trigger a new wave of litigation, noting that specialized search firms may seek damages not only for the DMA period but also for...