The European Commission has issued a binding order requiring Google to share search data with competing search engines and to open its Android operating system to rival artificial intelligence services. The measures, announced on Thursday, are the latest enforcement actions under the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which targets the world's largest tech platforms to foster fair competition.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen stated: "Thanks to these measures we hope to see emerging alternatives to Google Search and Google's AI services, such as Gemini, and that users in the EU can enjoy greater choice of services." The order mandates that from January 2027, Google must provide third-party search engines with access to its search data, a move Brussels says will "rebalance the playing field." Additionally, by July 2027, Android users across the EU should be able to choose their preferred AI chatbot for voice commands, akin to the "Hey Google" feature, effectively ending Google's default position.
Privacy and Security Concerns
Google has pushed back, arguing that the requirements compromise user privacy and device security. Kent Walker, Google's head of global affairs, warned that the EU moves risk "undermining vital privacy and security guardrails for millions of Europeans." He added that AI assistants already have access to Android and that sharing search data could expose "Europeans' private searches to unfamiliar companies, without adequate anonymisation of the data and without user knowledge or consent."
A senior European official countered that the Commission "took integrity, security and privacy into utmost account" and that the decision ensures anonymisation of shared search data. The measures are legally binding under a procedure launched in January, though they are not part of a formal investigation that could lead to fines. However, Google could face further penalties: sources close to the matter told AFP that the EU may impose a fine next week in a separate DMA investigation, confirming a report in the Financial Times. The DMA allows fines of up to 10 percent of a company's total global turnover. Brussels previously fined Google a total of €8.2 billion between 2017 and 2019 under different competition rules.
The order has drawn criticism from the administration of US President Donald Trump, which accuses Brussels of unfairly targeting American companies. This tension echoes broader transatlantic disputes over digital regulation, as seen in recent French regulator orders for Meta to resume copyright talks with press groups.
The DMA's impact on Android users in Europe has already been tested. In a related development, Swiss Android users lost search choice as Google tested EU rules, highlighting the practical implications of the regulation. The new order aims to ensure that such tests do not undermine consumer choice across the bloc.
As the EU continues to enforce the DMA, the balance between fostering competition and protecting user data remains a central challenge. The Commission's decision underscores its commitment to opening up digital markets, even as it faces pushback from both the industry and international partners.
