The European Union is close to imposing some of the most concrete obligations yet on Google under its flagship tech-competition law. The European Commission is finalizing measures that would force Google to give rival services deeper access to its Android phone software and to hand competitors some of the data behind its search engine, as part of two proceedings it opened in January under the Digital Markets Act, according to the Commission. A binding decision is due by July 27.
What the Digital Markets Act does
The Digital Markets Act, or DMA, took effect in the EU in 2024. Rather than chase companies through years-long antitrust trials, it designates the largest platforms as "gatekeepers," Google, Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft and ByteDance among them, and imposes standing obligations on them to keep their markets open. Crucially, the law does not require regulators to prove consumer harm first; the duties apply by default, and the Commission's job here is to spell out exactly how Google must comply.
The two demands
The first proceeding concerns interoperability on Android, the operating system that runs most of the world's smartphones. The Commission wants Google to give third parties, including rival AI assistants that compete with Google's own Gemini, effective access to the phone features they need to work well, so that a competing assistant can do the kinds of things Google's can, such as acting across apps to send an email, order food or share a photo, per the Commission. Interoperability simply means rival software being able to hook into the platform on fair terms instead of being locked out.
The second proceeding targets Search. Under the DMA, Google must share anonymized data, such as how often queries are made and which results people click, with competing search providers on "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory" terms. The logic is that Google's dominance is partly self-reinforcing: it sees vastly more search behavior than anyone else, and rivals argue they cannot build competitive products, including AI search, without some visibility into that data.
Google's objections and the stakes
Google has pushed back, arguing that opening up Android and sharing search data could create privacy and security risks for users. Regulators are weighing those concerns as they finalize the technical rules. What is not in doubt is the potential penalty: breaches of the DMA can draw fines of up to 10% of a company's global annual revenue, rising to 20% for repeat violations. For a company the size of Alphabet, Google's parent, 10% would run to tens of billions of dollars, though these proceedings are about specifying obligations, not levying a fine.
Why it matters beyond Europe
The action lands at a sensitive moment, as control of AI assistants on phones becomes a central competitive battleground. If rivals such as OpenAI or Anthropic can integrate as deeply into Android as Google's own tools, the advantage of owning the platform narrows. The approach also contrasts with the United States, where separate antitrust cases against Google over search and Android grind through the courts under a higher bar of proving harm. Europe's rules, by imposing affirmative duties up front, are likely to shape how open dominant platforms have to be worldwide. Boursel will follow the final decision and Google's response.
