European Regulators Pressure Big Tech: Sanctions Against Google, Amazon, Apple

European regulators put pressure on big tech… Successive sanctions against Google, Amazon, and Apple

View enlarged image

In recent years, European regulators have been intensively investigating whether they violate competition laws and digital regulations and have been imposing sanctions on so-called Big Tech companies such as Google, Amazon, and Apple.

The level of pressure is increasing as all core businesses, including artificial intelligence (AI), online advertising, app markets, and e-commerce, are subject to regulation.

According to Reuters on the 7th (local time), the European Union (EU) and major member state regulators are simultaneously investigating, imposing fines, and institutionally controlling Big Tech’s abuse of market dominance and restrictions on competition.

◇Google, comprehensive investigation into advertising, artificial intelligence, and search

Last month, the European Commission launched an antitrust investigation into whether Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, violated EU competition rules in the process of using web publisher and YouTube content for artificial intelligence learning and use.

In September last year, the European Commission imposed a fine of 2.95 billion euros (about 5.815 trillion won) on Google for anti-competitive practices in its advertising technology business.

However, Google won a lawsuit against a fine of 1.49 billion euros (about 2.57 trillion won), which was imposed in September 2024 for excluding competitors from the online search advertising market. On the other hand, the company failed to appeal the fine of 2.42 billion euros (approximately 4.175 trillion won) imposed earlier for operating a price comparison shopping service to its advantage.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority tentatively concluded in September 2024 that Google had abused its dominant position in the digital advertising market, and a month ago it launched an investigation into Alphabet and Amazon’s collaboration with AI startup Antropic. French competition authorities also imposed a fine of 250 million euros (about 431 billion won) on Google in March 2024, saying it violated EU intellectual property regulations in its relationships with media companies.

◇Amazon, price control and platform designation issues

Germany’s Federal Cartel Office announced that it had banned Amazon from imposing price ceilings on sellers in German marketplaces and had recovered millions of euros, claiming that the profits were obtained through anti-competitive practices.

In November last year, the EU General Court dismissed Amazon’s cancellation claim against its designation as a “large online platform subject to enhanced regulation.”

◇Apple sanctioned for violating App Market and Digital Market Act

The Italian competition authority imposed a total fine of 98.6 million euros (about 170 billion won) on Apple and its two subsidiaries in December last year for allegedly abusing dominance in the mobile app market.

In October 2025, two civic groups filed an official complaint with the EU antitrust authorities, taking issue with the App Store terms of use and device conditions. In the same month, the UK Competition and Markets Authority designated Apple and Google as companies with a “strategic market position,” securing the authority to demand corrective action.

In April 2025, the EU imposed a fine of 500 million euros (about 862.5 billion won) on Apple and 200 million euros (about 345 billion won) on Meta for violating the Digital Market Act (DMA), and Apple also lost an appeal over the application of strengthened regulations in Germany.

Due to a series of measures by European regulators, big tech companies are being asked to simultaneously adjust business restructuring and respond to regulations across the artificial intelligence, advertising, and app ecosystems. There are observations both inside and outside the industry that Europe’s tough digital regulations will affect the overall business strategies of global big tech.

Kim Hyeon-cheol, Global Economics Reporter [email protected]