The move comes as EU regulators push to curb the market power of major tech platforms and level the playing field for competitors. Google has repeatedly denied claims that it unfairly advantages its own services.
What the EU Wants From Google
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said the proceedings will clarify how Google must ensure that third-party search engines and AI providers can access the same search data and Android operating system features that Google’s own products — such as Google Search and Gemini — use.
The Commission has opened two “specification proceedings” after talks with Google on how to comply with the DMA. The process is intended to provide precise rules on what the law requires.
Google Pushes Back
Google said it already licenses search data to competitors and argued that Android is “open by design.” In a statement, Clare Kelly, Google’s Senior Competition Counsel, said the company is concerned that new rules could be driven by competitor complaints rather than consumer interest.
She also warned that additional requirements could threaten user privacy, security, and innovation.
Two Key Areas of Focus
The EU proceedings will address:
- AI access: How third-party AI developers can obtain equal access to features that Google reserves for its own AI services like Gemini.
- Search data access: How rival search engines can receive anonymized ranking, query, click and view data from Google Search on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms. The guidance will also clarify which AI chatbot providers are eligible for such data.
Regulators Aim to Finish Within Six Months
EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said the goal is to ensure the AI era benefits all players — not just the biggest firms. She emphasized that the DMA should prevent the market from being “tilted in favour of the largest few.”
The Commission has previously issued similar guidance to Apple, requiring the company to open its closed ecosystem to rivals in 2022.
The proceedings are expected to be concluded within six months.