German Handelsblatt: The EU is preparing a record DMA fine for Google Search’s dominant position

German business daily Handelsblatt reported on May 25 that Brussels is preparing to impose a fine of several hundred million euros on Alphabet under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), because Google allegedly displays its own services improperly in search results; this would be the highest fine issued under the DMA to date.

訴訟現況：接近終結但談判仍在進行

《商報》報道稱，針對 Google 的訴訟程序已接近尾聲。歐盟委員會發言人 Thomas Regnier 表示，監管機構仍在與公司商討可能的解決方案，但同時明確表示：「即使我們正在就未來的解決方案進行談判，我們也會毫不猶豫地盡快採取下一步措施。」預計馮德萊恩將在夏季休會前作出最終決定，日期尚未公告。此次罰款討論發生在歐盟與美國剛達成海關協議後，再次與主要美國科技公司發生衝突可能對跨大西洋關係造成新的壓力。

Google 的回應：否認 DMA 合規改動提升用戶體驗

Google 否認 DMA 合規要求提升了用戶搜索體驗，據稱 Google 發言人表示：「我們已根據 DMA 對搜索功能進行了更改，這是該產品歷史上最大的降級，為歐洲用戶創造了二流體驗，卻讓少數自私自利的投訴者獲利。」

歐盟對 Google 的歷史執法記錄與 DMA 背景

歐盟此前已就三項調查對 Google 處以合計逾 80 億歐元罰款，涉及 Google 搜索、Android 系統和 Google 廣告聯盟。最近一次是 2025 年 9 月，歐盟對 Google 廣告科技業務處以 29.5 億歐元（約 34 億美元）的罰款。DMA 是比反壟斷法更新的監管框架，専門規範守門人平台的自我偏袒行為；此次 Google 搜索案若罰款成立，將是 DMA 框架下的首個創紀錄罰款。

常見問題

How is the DMA different from the EU’s earlier antitrust enforcement?

The EU’s earlier three investigations into Google (over €8 billion) were carried out under antitrust laws. The DMA (Digital Markets Act) is an updated regulatory framework that officially took effect in 2024 for large “gatekeepers,” and it specifically governs preferential treatment by gatekeeper platforms toward their own services.

Google 搜索偏袒自家服務的指控是否已被確認？

歐盟委員會於 2025 年 3 月啟動調查，截至本報道尚未作出正式裁決。《商報》援引消息稱訴訟程序接近尾聲，但最終決定由馮德萊恩在夏季休會前作出，尚未公告。

What is the maximum limit for DMA fines?

Under the DMA’s rules, the cap for fines for a gatekeeper’s violations is 10% of its worldwide annual turnover; in serious cases it can reach 20%, and for systemic violations it can reach more than 20%. The report mentions a fine amount of “several hundred million euros,” but the exact figure has not been disclosed yet.