EU Digital Rules Enforcement Intensifies – DMA Expansion, DSA Fines, GDPR, and Digital Omnibus Recalibration
Key Questions
What is the largest DMA fine issued by the EU so far and why was Google penalized?
The EU fined Google €890 million under the DMA, the largest penalty to date, split between €460 million for search self-preferencing and €430 million for Play Store anti-steering violations. Google has 60 days to comply with the order.
What specific compliance actions must Google take under the DMA rulings?
Google must open Android to rival AI agents by July 2027 and share search data with competitors by January 2027. These measures aim to reduce Google's gatekeeper control in search and app distribution.
What violations is TikTok facing in the escalated EU DSA probe?
The European Commission preliminarily charged TikTok with DSA breaches for exposing under-18 users through default public accounts and recommending minors' content, increasing risks of bullying and predatory contact. The probe could result in fines up to 6% of global revenue.
Which other platforms received major DSA fines in recent EU actions?
AliExpress was fined €550 million and Temu €200 million under the DSA for violations related to platform obligations. Meta also faces DSA charges over addictive design features with potential penalties up to $12 billion.
How are EU regulators addressing AI and data protection in enforcement?
CNIL issued guidance on agentic AI under GDPR emphasizing data minimization, transparency, and accountability, while the EDPB clarified that consent is invalid for scraping. New AI Act transparency rules require labeling of AI interactions starting August 2026.
What was the outcome of Apple's challenge to its DMA designation?
The EU General Court rejected Apple's DMA challenge, upholding the company's gatekeeper status. This aligns with other rulings like the CJEU's upholding of the €4.1 billion Android antitrust fine against Google.
What new UK and Greek measures expand regulatory oversight in digital markets?
The UK designated Microsoft, Google Cloud, AWS, and Oracle as Critical Third Parties under financial regulation. Greece enacted an AI Act implementation framework naming the HDPA as market surveillance authority.
How might recent CJEU rulings affect platform liability for content curation?
New CJEU decisions narrow intermediary immunity for algorithmic curation and hold platforms liable as active participants for partnered YouTube content, potentially requiring proactive monitoring. These expand liability beyond traditional safe harbor protections.
EU fines Google €890M under DMA for search and app store violations (largest DMA penalty yet) – split €460M for search self-preferencing, €430M for Play anti-steering; 60-day compliance deadline. EU orders Google to open Android to rival AI agents by July 2027 and share search data by Jan 2027 under DMA. EU fines AliExpress €550M under DSA. EU prepares to hit Google with additional DMA fine. DSA charges Meta for addictive design (potential $12B fine). EU General Court rejects Apple's DMA challenge. CJEU upholds €4.1B Android antitrust fine. EU Digital Fairness Act proposed. EU preliminarily designates AWS and Azure as DMA gatekeepers. EU fines Temu €200M under DSA. Swedish court awards PriceRunner $1.5B in Google Shopping case. Italian AGCM opens Google ad tech abuse probe. Apple delays Siri AI in EU citing privacy. EU accepts Musk's proposed changes to X under DSA. CNIL steps up enforcement, issuing new guidance on agentic AI GDPR compliance (data minimization, transparency, accountability). AI agents bypass cookie consent. EDPB clarifies consent not valid for scraping. EDRi calls for dedicated AdTech regulation, Good Lobby criticizes DSA Article 38 enforcement, DMA specification decisions for Google. US lawmakers threaten Section 301 trade probes over DMA enforcement. CJEU rules VPNs lawful tools in Anne Frank copyright case. New CJEU rulings expand platform liability: Coyote System ruling narrows intermediary immunity for algorithmic curation, potentially forcing proactive monitoring; another ruling holds platforms liable for partnered YouTube content, treating them as active participants. EU issues guidance ahead of AI Act transparency rules (Aug 2, 2026) requiring labeling of AI interactions and synthetic content, with grace period until Dec 2, 2026. Digital Omnibus analysis warns of hollowing out GDPR protections through selective codification; also defers some AI Act deadlines but transparency duties remain. FTC independence ruling (US Supreme Court) threatens EU-US Data Privacy Framework adequacy. TikTok's €530m GDPR fine upheld for China data transfers. New harmonized breach notification template issued. EU regulators unify privacy and antitrust enforcement with joint guidelines, closing loophole that let platforms play regulators against each other; consultation open until Oct 15. Australian OAIC ruling on tracking pixels expands definition of personal information, signaling global regulatory tightening on ad tech privacy. New: EU escalates TikTok DSA probe over teen privacy, finding under-18 accounts too exposed; Commission preliminarily charges TikTok with DSA violations for default public accounts and recommendation of minors' content, risking up to 6% global revenue fine. UK designates Microsoft, Google Cloud, AWS, Oracle as Critical Third Parties under financial regulation, expanding regulatory perimeter. Greece enacts AI Act implementation framework, designating HDPA as market surveillance authority, signaling convergence of AI governance and data protection.