SPAIN PERSPECTIVE

Madrid, July 24, 2026. The Spanish press is giving extensive coverage to the double sanction imposed by the European Commission on Google: 460 million euros for favoring its own services -- Google Flights, Google Hotels -- in search results, and 430 million euros for preventing app developers from notifying users of offers available outside of Google Play. Expansión describes the decision as a "record fine," the largest ever imposed for violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA), exceeding the 500 million euros imposed on Apple and the 200 million euros imposed on Meta in 2025. The Spanish newspaper quotes the Commission: the best products "should succeed because they are better, not because they belong to the company that manages the search engine."

Spanish media outlets are weighing in on the implications of the sanction, with some adopting a more critical tone. HuffPost España notes that the 890 million euros represent "less than 1%" of Google's quarterly revenue, estimated at 120 billion euros. The media outlet recalls that the European Union has already imposed over 10 billion euros in cumulative fines on the company over the past decade, without apparently changing its business practices -- a source close to the case noting that Google "continues" to favor its own services.

The Spanish government is watching the situation closely, aware of the geopolitical risks at play. The decision comes just days before the anniversary of the tariff agreement between the US and Brussels, and the Spanish economy is heavily dependent on American platforms. Spain's government is observing this showdown with a mix of support for the European regulatory framework and caution in the face of possible commercial retaliation, as Brussels is accused of having delayed its decision due to fear of tensions with the US. The Spanish press reports that Kent Walker, from Google, has denounced a regulation that "should improve products, not degrade them," and cited unfair competition.