---
title: "EU Fine Against Google Warrants Consideration of Retaliatory Measures, Says ITIF"
summary: |-
  The European Commission’s decision to fine Google $1 billion for alleged violations of the DMA's bans on self-preferencing using Google Search and anti-steering practices in Google’s Play Store is yet more evidence of the regulation's discriminatory targeting of America’s leading innovators.
date: "2026-07-23"
content_type: "Press Releases"
canonical_url: "https://itif.org/publications/2026/07/23/eu-fine-against-google-warrants-consideration-retaliatory-measures-says-itif/"
---

# EU Fine Against Google Warrants Consideration of Retaliatory Measures, Says ITIF

WASHINGTON—Following the European Commission’s [decision](https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_1670) to fine Google $1 billion for alleged violations of the Digital Markets Act’s (DMA) bans on self-preferencing using Google Search and anti-steering practices in Google’s Play Store, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the leading think tank for science and technology policy, released the following statement from [Joseph V. Coniglio](https://itif.org/person/joseph-v-coniglio/), senior counsel and director of antitrust and innovation:

> *This is a sad day for transatlantic relations. Instead of working together to counter China’s quest for global techno-economic dominance, the European Union has continued to weaponize the DMA to extract huge fines from America’s leading innovators—despite admitting Google’s ongoing good-faith efforts to comply.*

> *There are no grounds for finding that Google is in breach of the DMA’s prohibition on self-preferencing. In fact, the changes Google has been forced to make in this area have not only resulted in a worse user experience but also directed traffic away from businesses like hotels and restaurants and into the hands of Google’s intermediary competitors.*

> *The Commission’s attack on Google’s mobile ecosystem fares no better. Google has every right to charge a commission on linked-out transactions so it can recoup the substantial investments it makes in Android. The Commission has provided no clear basis for determining that Google’s fee structure is somehow noncompliant.*

> *Today’s decision is yet more evidence of the DMA’s discriminatory targeting of America’s leading innovators, who have paid all of the nearly $2 billion in fines the Commission has levied under the regulation in just over a year.*

> *In the face of the DMA’s ever-escalating attacks on America’s digital firms, the United States increasingly has no choice but to consider retaliatory measures using frameworks like **[Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974](https://itif.org/publications/2026/06/10/the-case-for-using-section-301-to-retaliate-against-discriminatory-eu-policies/)**, which provides recourse against actions by foreign governments that discriminate against and burden U.S. commerce.*

**Contact: **Sydney Mack, [smack@itif.org](mailto:smack@itif.org)

---
*Source: Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)*
*URL: https://itif.org/publications/2026/07/23/eu-fine-against-google-warrants-consideration-retaliatory-measures-says-itif/*