The European Union has fined Google $3.5 billion (2.95 billion euros) for violating competition laws by favoring its own digital advertising services. As part of the ruling, Google is also required to divest a portion of its ad-tech business.

This action stems from a 2023 EU decision that stated breaking up parts of Google was the only way to resolve its anti-competitive practices.

The European Commission—the EU’s executive branch and top antitrust authority—ordered Google to end its “self-preferencing practices” and prevent “conflicts of interest” within the advertising technology supply chain, according to the Associated Press.

This is the EU’s fourth antitrust penalty against Google, following a $5 billion fine in 2018 over Android practices and earlier actions in 2016 involving AdSense and AdWords. It also comes shortly after a weaker remedy ruling in the U.S., where Google was declared a monopoly.

Google called the decision “wrong” and said it will appeal. Lee-Anne Mulholland, the company’s global head of regulatory affairs, said the fine is “unjustified” and claimed the required changes would hurt thousands of European businesses by making it harder for them to earn revenue.

Google has 60 days to inform the Commission of its compliance plan. If it fails to do so, Brussels warned it could force the company to sell parts of its business. “Google must now come forward with a serious remedy to address its conflicts of interest, and if it fails to do so, we will not hesitate to impose strong remedies,” said EU competition chief Teresa Ribera.

This latest ruling appears tougher than the 2018 decision. More coverage is available on Techmeme.

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